


Still Worth Fighting For

by lj_todd



Series: Unbreakable [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Hurt/Comfort, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Verse, Past Hurt/Comfort, Past Mating Bond, Past Mpreg, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-14
Updated: 2015-05-11
Packaged: 2018-03-07 13:31:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 47,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3174986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lj_todd/pseuds/lj_todd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For five years Oliver Queen was presumed dead. His return to Starling City, with a daughter, sparks more speculation than his disappearance had. But Oliver isn't the same Omega who went missing. He is a man with secrets. His nightly vigilantism. The father of his child. The Bond marks on his shoulder and wrist. He can't risk the truth of any of it being revealed. But there is one person in his life who refuses to accept his secrets. Who sees through the mask he wears.</p>
<p>Malcolm Merlyn is no fool. He sees that Oliver has changed. Drastically changed. That the young Omega has many secrets. May even be the vigilante threatening to destroy everything Malcolm has been working towards for years. He doesn't expect that his search for answers to those secrets would reveal more than just the truth about how Oliver spent his nights. He doesn't expect his world to be turned upside down and his beliefs shaken to the very core.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [【授翻】值得一搏](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12411060) by [Flash2017](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flash2017/pseuds/Flash2017)



_Starling City_   
_2007_

Malcolm stretched as he sat on the edge of the bed, the early morning sunlight just barely peeking through the curtains and casting soft lines of light over the Omega still curled up, sleeping soundly, in the bed behind him. Creamy skin practically glowed with the sunlight and dark blonde lashes fluttered against those smooth cheeks as the Omega dreamt.

Part of him kept insisting that this had been a mistake.

That he'd betrayed his wife and her memory by even looking at another Omega.

But his natural instincts, those primal Alpha instincts that no amount of training could rid him of, kept telling him that it was fine. That he had done nothing wrong. The Omega had come to him, had wanted him, and, most importantly, he hadn't Bonded them. Oh the urge had been there. The need to claim, to mark, to make the Omega his, had ridden him hard. But that was part of an Omega's Heat. He'd been taught to ignore that siren call. Had learned to master at least that part of his nature.

Rebecca deserved that at least.

Drawing a deep breath he stood and dressed quickly, quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping Omega. Before he left he stood by the bed, regarding the Omega he'd spent nearly three days with, seeing the potential for so much in the slumbering man. It brought a slight smile to his face as he reached down and brushed soft blonde hair back from that charming face. Pity the Omega wouldn't clearly recall they're time together, between the Heat and the copious amount of alcohol the Omega had consumed before his Heat had set in Malcolm would be amazed if he even remembered having a Heat at all.

Shaking his head he turned and left, making certain to leave the _Do Not Disturb_ sign hanging on the doorknob. It would be best if the Omega continued to have privacy until he was ready to go his own way.

The hotel was quiet, it was still fairly early, but Malcolm was still careful about leaving the building, climbing into the waiting car he instructed his driver to take him home, all while taking out his cell phone and sending a few quick messages inquiring as to the status of the plan he'd been working on for weeks. The response was a quick _Everything's ready._ Leaning back in his seat he smiled and tried not to let his thoughts swing back to the Omega he'd left at the hotel.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Several weeks later, sitting in his office late one night, going over some reports from the latest merger, Malcolm got the oddest sensation. A tingling in the back of his skull that quickly spread down his spine. It had him stilling and staring off into space for several long minutes, during which he was certain, so very certain, that he could hear thunder rumbling over head, could feel the pelt of rain and smell salt from the sea. He had a momentarily, unexplainable feeling, of panic and fear and his hands clenched tightly in response. But then, just as suddenly as it had come, it vanished. As though it had never happened.

Shaking his head he returned his focus to the reports, chalking up the sensation to stress and worry. The _Queen's Gambit_ had left port three days ago and, if his calculations were correct, which they usually were, the explosives he'd had planted on board would have done their job by now. Meaning Robert Queen was likely dead or nearly there. It was a terrible price to pay but his friend hadn't seen the reason, the logic, in his plans for the Glades, for Starling, and as such had become a threat. A threat he'd had no choice but to deal with.

Nothing could get in the way of his plans.

Not even his best friend.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Two days later and Malcolm, in the middle of a meeting with the heads of his research and financing departments, was surprised when his office door was thrown open and Moira Queen stormed in. He heard Jordon, the head of financing, ask if something was wrong but he saw what the Beta so clearly missed. He saw the hollow, haunted look in her eyes and he didn't need to ask anything. He'd seen that look, every time he looked in the mirror, after Rebecca's death. Moira's Bond had broken. And broken suddenly.

He quickly dismissed the men, who regarded Moira with a great deal of concern as they left, and stood, stepping around the corner of his desk, intending to offer comfort but the moment the door to his office closed, the moment it was just the two of them, Moira drew her hand back and slapped him across the face.

Hard.

He didn't retaliate, didn't say anything, he merely looked at Moira.

"You...bastard." Moira's voice was all growl, something that rarely happened, and her eyes, haunted with the pain of her lose, suddenly blazed with rage.

"Moira..."

"My Bondmate! _My Alpha!_ " Her hands clenched at her sides as tears sprang to her eyes. "And you're responsible!"

"I am."

It was likely not the right thing she saw because she struck him again.

"I knew...knew you could be cold but this..." Her voice broke for a moment and he saw pain, deeper than her broken Bond, in her normally vibrant eyes. "You killed your...your best friend...and what's worse...you took...you took...my...my..."

Tears rolled down her face faster and a sob fell from her lips as she began shaking.

His reaction was immediate, was instinctual, his arms wrapping securely around her because, for all that he'd done, for all he'd taken from her, she was still his friend, still deserving, more so than most, of comfort and compassion. "I'm sorry," he whispered against her hair, the floral scent of her shampoo washing over his senses. "I know this hurts. And I...I wish there had been another way but...but it had to be done."

Moira's next sob was more of a muffled scream and she quickly pushed him away, shaking her head and looking at him like he was a monster.

"Don't...Don't you dare tell me...you're sorry..." She shook her head again. "Not when you've...taken...so much..."

"Moira, please, I..."

She moved as quickly as a striking snake, only this time she didn't slap him. Instead her fist connected with his jaw, causing pain to bloom intensely but, again, he did not retaliate, mainly because she was suddenly shouting, her rage and pain clear in every word.

"You don't get to stand there...and...and apologize when you've...you've killed my son!"

Malcolm suddenly felt very, very cold.

Oliver.

Oliver had been on the yacht.

He hadn't just taken Moira's Bondmate but her pup. Her first pup. She might have eventually accepted the loss of her Alpha but no Omega truly ever got over the loss of a pup. She would forever feel the ache of that loss. Would carry the knowledge that she hadn't been able to protect her son. And he had done that. He had hurt her in an unimaginable way.

"Moira...I..." He couldn't bring himself to tell her he was sorry, not again, not when it wouldn't be enough, so he just reached out and pulled her back into his arm. She sobbed and beat her fists against him but she didn't push him away again.

"My son," she cried as she finally stopped hitting him, too drained, emotionally and physically, to continue. "My...My sweet little...little boy...God, Malcolm, you...you took him away...you took my son..."

Malcolm closed his eyes and, not surprisingly, immediately could see Oliver as he had been the last time Malcolm had seen him. Bright as sunshine and laughing, eyes sparkling happily. So much potential, if only pushed in the right direction, and Malcolm had cut that promising life short. It shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did. People were going to die, one way or another, in his plan to avenge his wife. But he had never intended Oliver Queen to be one of those people. He would have spared the boy that. For Moira's sake.

But instead he would carry the guilt of murdering an innocent pup, Moira's pup, just as he carried the guilt of his Omega's death.

 

_Somewhere in the China Sea_   
_2007_

Oliver Queen was leaning against the side of the raft, the little dingy that, feeling weak and sick and grief stricken, wondering just how much longer it would be before he, like his father, was dead. There was barely any water left. The food had run out days ago. He knew it was only a matter of time. No matter what his father had thought he wasn't going to survive.

He had just started to drift off when he felt it.

A tingling, nagging sort of feeling in the back of his mind.

He didn't know what it was but it had been there, off and on, ever since the _Gambit_ had gone down.

He shook his head to force the feeling away and looked up just as he heard the cry of a seagull. What he saw had his hope slowly rising again. An island. A large island from what he could make out through the fog and haze of sunlight. Surely there would be people, people who could help him get home, and surely this was a sign that things were finally going to get better.


	2. Chapter 2

_Starling City_   
_...2012..._

The city, his city, had changed in the last five years.

It was rougher. Grittier. Darker.

Or maybe it had always been that way and he had just been too blind to see it.

But standing in that hospital room, staring out at the twinkling lights, he saw it.

He saw the corruption, the sickness, and he knew there was only one way to save his city.

He'd made a promise, a promise to right wrongs and save Starling City from the corruption that, like a cancerous tumour, was tearing the city apart from within.

He was drawn from his thoughts when he heard movement outside the door. Years of training enabled him to hear the voices, however muffled and he drew a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for what was to come, all while knowing that even if he had all the time in the world he would never be truly prepared for who was standing outside the door.

Continuing to stare out at the city he listened as the door open, softly, carefully, and the scent that reached him had his eyes closing as he inhaled deeply. It had been five years since he had last scented the Omega now standing in the room, five years sine he had last smelled her perfume, subtle and floral, and it damn near brought him to his knees as he heard the soft click of heels against the tiled floor.

"Oliver?"

That voice, sweet and warm, washed over him like a gentle wave and he slowly turned to face her, seeing the unshed tears in her eyes, the quiver of her lip as she struggled not to sob, and he gave the slightest of smiles as he felt tears fill his own eyes.

"Mom."

She smiled one of those happy-sad smiles even as tears dotted her lashes and a few slipped down her cheeks. "Oh, my beautiful boy."

She hugged him.

Their first hug in five years and part of him never wanted it to end. He'd never thought he'd ever see his mother again let alone hug her, hear her voice, and he pressed his face to her hair taking in the scent o her perfume, shampoo and the natural Omega scent that was hers and hers alone even as he hugged her closer.

When they broke the hug Moira kept one hand on Oliver's shoulder while she reached up with the other to cup his cheek, her gaze taking in his face. She didn't want to admit just how surprised she was by the changes in him. 

Gone was the boy she remembered, the boy who'd haunted her memories and dreams, and before her stood a man she barely recognized. A man hardened by whatever he had experienced in the last five years. She quickly shook that feeling off, refusing to let that ruin her reunion with her precious boy. She'd lived five years thinking he was dead, five years thinking she'd never see him again, no matter how changed he was he was still her son. Still her Oliver.

"Oliver, I..."

She paused when they both heard movement, the soft rustling of the sheets on the bed a few feet away and Oliver immediately looked over, instincts causing him to check, to ensure the tiny being sleeping there was still safe. It was an old habit. One he knew he would never break. No matter how much time passed. Instead he crossed to the bed, pulling the sheet back up where it had slipped.

When the tiny girl stirred again, body shifting lightly, he ran his fingers lightly through her hair and hummed softly, an old lullaby that he'd picked up years earlier, shortly before she'd been born, but, unlike usual, it didn't work to put her back to sleep. She was in an unfamiliar place and he knew, better than anyone, that that made it difficult to sleep. He smiled softly as she blinked sleepily, peering up at him with dark blue, nearly black, eyes.

He tucked her hair behind her ear before he picked her up, sitting on the bed and holding her in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder. He slowly turned his gaze back to his mother, who was staring, wide eyed, at him, at the girl, who was rubbing her eyes sleepily before snuggling closer to him, murmuring incoherently.

"Oliver..."

Oliver saw the questions in his mother's eyes, the questions she seemed unable to voice, and he gave a tiny, barely there smile.

"Mom," he said softly, causing his little girl to look over at Moira. "This is Robbie." He looked down at Robbie. "She's my daughter."


	3. Chapter 3

Malcolm was sitting in his office, listening to the news of the miraculous return of Oliver Queen from the dead, silently tapping a pen against the desk, watching the news story play over again.

He'd spent five years thinking he was responsible for the young man's death.

And now Oliver was home, safe and sound and very much alive.

But that opened up more questions.

Had Robert survived as well? Had he told Oliver the truth? About the list? Was Oliver going to be a threat to the Undertaking as his father had been?

Tossing his pen down he glared at the television, at the repeated news story, and tried to ignore the odd sensation that had prickling at the back of his skull for the better part of the day. He hit mute on the television remote before picking up his cell phone and scrolling through his contacts, finding the one he wanted easily enough and pressing the call button. He listened to it ring several times before the call was answered with a rough, yet feminine, "If this isn't important, Malcolm, I'm hanging up."

"I can't call and inquire as to your son's state, Moira?"

Moira sighed and he could almost see the pinched annoyance on her face. "I doubt your concern over Oliver's wellbeing is why you called."

"Tell me you haven't wondered if Robert told him something. Tell me you haven't wondered if Oliver might pose some sort of threat to our plans. Tell me that and I'll end this call right now."

Moira made an angry sound.

"My son has barely spoken," she snarled and it reminded him of when she'd stormed into his office after the _Gambit_ had gone down. "And what he did say had nothing to do with his father or the yacht or your goddamn Undertaking. Now, if you don't mind, Malcolm, I need to get back to my son."

The click of her hanging up echoed in his ear for a moment before he hit the end call button and set his phone down. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, thinking back to the last time he had seen Oliver.

_He'd been leaving a bar, having just met with one of his less savoury associates, when he been bumped into by a stumbling, more than buzzed Oliver Queen._

_He caught Oliver's arm to steady him and the younger man looked up at him with what Oliver no doubt thought was a charming grin. "Hey, Mister..." Hic. "Merlyn..."_

_Malcolm's nose wrinkled at the smell of alcohol on Oliver's breath but, beneath that clawing, cheep booze smell there was something else. Something sweet. Like honeysuckle and rich, dark chocolate. It caused old instincts, things he'd thought long buried and controlled, to rear up and he nearly stumbled himself at the force of it. All the while his thoughts were torn between_ He's an Omega, an Omega nearing his Heat _and_ Stupid, boy, going out, getting drunk so near his Heat _._

_"Fancy running into..." Hic. "You...here..." Oliver giggled and Malcolm ground his teeth together. Knowing there was no way he could just send Oliver on his way. Maybe if the Omega, and how the hell had Oliver managed to hide_ that _for all these years was baffling, hadn't been so near his Heat Malcolm would have allowed it but he knew that in his current state Oliver would be at the mercy of whatever Alpha, or Alphas, happened to take interest. And he knew that most Alphas in Starling lacked his level of restraint._

_Signalling for his driver, Malcolm caught Oliver's arm as the Omega stumbled again. "Oliver," he said calmly, trying not to inhale too much of Oliver's scent. "Oliver, listen to me, I'm going to take you home."_

_That, it seemed, was the wrong thing to say because Oliver was shaking his head and trying to pull away. "Noooo," he whined and gave Malcolm the most pleading, puppy eyed look the Alpha had seen outside of cartoons and children. "Don't...Don't wanna go home. Home's...not...good..." Oliver shook his head. "Gonna...Gonna go find a place to...place to drink and...and pick up...nice Alpha and...and get him to...to screw me through this...this stupid Heat..."_

_"Oliver." Malcolm knew if Oliver were sober the young man would see how stupid, how dangerous, that plan was. "Oliver, listen to me, I don't care what you were planning, but I'm taking you..."_

_"M'not going." Oliver managed to yank his arm free of Malcolm's grip, reminding the Alpha that Oliver was no longer the little boy who used to play in his garden with his son._

_Oliver managed to stumble a few feet down the sidewalk before Malcolm caught hold of him again, this time the Alpha's fingers curled around the back of Oliver's neck, an Alpha asserting power, authority, over an Omega. It was instinct, plain and simple, that had Oliver stopping, kept him from fighting, as Malcolm steered him towards the waiting car. Climbing in the back with the younger man Malcolm directed his driver to take them to the Queen Mansion._

_Silence reigned for several long, tense minutes, the scent of Oliver's approaching Heat thickening with each passing second, each beat of the younger man's heart, and, just as Malcolm was considering rolling down the window to get a bit of fresh air in the car, Oliver, no doubt suffering from both his intoxication and early symptoms of his Heat, managed to catch him by surprise by suddenly climbing into his lap._

_His hands shot out reflexively, gripping Oliver's hips to steady him when he swayed, all the while glaring up at the younger man._

_"Oliver." Malcolm tone was warning and his fingers flexed, like a cat kneading its claws, against Oliver's hips even as Oliver rocked, rolling his hips against Malcolm's. "Oliver you need to stop. Now."_

_Oliver whined and shook his head, hands braced against Malcolm's shoulders, hips still rolling, rubbing his arousal into Malcolm's lower abdomen. "Need." He whimpered. "Please...Please I need you..."_

_That sweet honeysuckle-chocolate scent intensified and Malcolm felt himself growing hard. "Oliver," his voice had deepened, growing primal. He should have pushed Oliver off him, should have forced the Omega to the other side of the car, but he found his fingers tightening, pulling the younger man closer. "Oliver I am not...no...I'm taking you home. Nothing more."_

_Oliver whine, loudly, shaking his head, rocking against Malcolm again. "No, no I...I want you...please..."_

_"This is the Heat talking, Oliver," Malcolm said, still managing to sound calm even when all he wanted to do was pin Oliver down and give the Omega just what he wanted. "And the liquor. When you sober up you'll realize how stupid this was and know I made the right decision."_

_Oliver huffed. "Take me...Take me home then...not like I'll stay there...I'll just...go back out and...find...find someone else...what I was planning to...to...to do...anyways..."_

_When Oliver went to climb off his lap something in Malcolm snapped. His carefully built and earned control shattered at the thought of Oliver just throwing himself at the first Alpha who would have him. That the Omega thought so little of himself that he would degrade himself by accepting just any Alpha instead of carefully choosing, instead of making certain the Alpha would appreciate him for the gift he was. Malcolm had always known Robert was less than thrilled that his son and heir was an Omega but he had never realized just how deeply Robert's beliefs had affected Oliver._

_Drawing a deep breath Malcolm knew there was only one solution._

_Gripping Oliver's hips tightly, keeping the young Omega in his lap, he pressed the button to speak to his drive. "Wilfred, take us to the Aston."_

_The hotel was bustling with just enough people that no one paid much attention to them as they walked through. Malcolm had never been so thankful that he kept a suite booked at the hotel. Reaching the room he barely managed to get the door shut and locked behind them before Oliver turned and all but pounced on him. There was nothing gentle about the kiss. It was hard and fierce and desperate and it called to a primal part of Malcolm, drawing a deep growl from the Alpha's chest as he grabbed Oliver by the shoulders, shoving the younger man back into the nearest wall._

_Oliver whimpered and gasped as Malcolm buried his face in his neck, inhaling, nuzzling and mouthing lightly. "Malcolm..." He whined, fingers lacing through Malcolm's hair, hips bucking, feeling Malcolm's hard cock against his own and whining again._

_Malcolm gave a muffled sound, a mix of groan and growl, as he pressed Oliver hard into the wall. He slipped his hands under the Omega’s shirt, revelling in the sensation of his warm, smooth, soft skin. Without much conscious thought his hands moved, grasping the fabric of Oliver's shirt and, with a strength earned from years of skilful training, he tore the shirt, letting the fabric fall to the floor. Oliver groaned, letting his head fall back, exposing his neck. It was probably an unconscious gesture, but it spurred something primal in Malcolm all the same._

_With strength that he knew had to be surprising to Oliver he hoisted the Omega up, arms under Oliver's thighs, and carried him to the bed._

_Carefully depositing Oliver on the bed Malcolm quickly shed his clothing before reached out and helping Oliver, who in his Heat and alcohol addled state was having some difficulties, strip out of the rest of his own clothing before crawling up to hover over the whimpering, needy Omega. Oliver's legs fell open, his natural instincts guiding him, and Malcolm easily settled between them._

_Reaching between their bodies Malcolm ran the tips of his fingers over Oliver's quivering, clenching hole. He was already dripping wet, natural lubricants spilling down his thighs, over Malcolm's fingers, dripping onto the sheets. The Alpha growled deeply, possessively, as he pushed two fingers into Oliver, causing the younger man to cry out and buck forcing Malcolm to use his other hand to push Oliver back down as he began to thrust his fingers in and out, scissoring them, twisting them and making Oliver cry out._

_Rubbing his fingertips over Oliver's prostate he couldn't help but smile smugly as it reduced the Omega to a whimper puddle of goo beneath him._

_"Malcolm...Malcolm please...please...fuck...I'm ready...fuck I'm ready...please...fuck me...just fuck me..."_

_Malcolm growled, that primal part of himself that he couldn't deny fighting to the forefront of his mind and, ignoring the whimper of protest withdrawing his fingers drew from Oliver, he reached down, stroked a hand over his cock before he lined the head up with Oliver's hole, feeling it clench and flutter as he pushed the head of his cock into the dripping entrance. He knew he should have taken it slowly, should have eased into Oliver gently, but seeing the Omega spread out beneath him, squirming and whining and begging to be fucked, had him snapping his hips. Slamming into Oliver with one hard, nearly brutal, thrust._

_Oliver, however, didn't seem to mind. He whined loudly and began to roll his hips, trying to meet each of Malcolm's thrusts, his cock hard and leaking against his belly, Malcolm's abdomen brushing teasingly over it with each movement. With every inward thrust, ever clench of Oliver's body, every needy moan from the Omega, Malcolm was losing his mind, his entire world consisting only of Oliver, of all the places where they were touching, Oliver's hands gripping his shoulders tightly, that sweet honeysuckle scent that was calling him to sink his teeth into Oliver's neck, to Bond them._

_That instinct, at least, he was able to fight as he felt his knot swell. Finding the will to reach between them Malcolm wrapped his hand around Oliver's cock, stroking the Omega in time to his savage thrusts, making Oliver cry out and buck all while senseless babble fell from those pretty, plush lips._

_"Malcolm! Oh...Oh fuck...yes...please...please so close...fuck...harder...Malcolm, please...please...fuck!"_

_Oliver came, spurting his seed over his belly and Malcolm's fist and as his body tightened, fluttering intensely around Malcolm's cock the Alpha snarled, letting out a loud, deep sound as his knot fully swelled, locking him inside Oliver's body even as he came, filling the Omega, who mewled and quivered beneath him._

Malcolm blinked and let the memory fade to the back of his mind. He'd spend three days with Oliver in that hotel room. The boy's Heat had broken during the early hours of the third day and Malcolm had left before he could wake, hoping the combination of the Heat and alcohol would be enough that Oliver would never fully remember what had happened. And then he'd gotten the news that Oliver had been on the _Gambit_. 

The guilt of killing the sweet Omega had eaten at Malcolm for years.

But Oliver was alive. Was home.

And could possibly be as much a threat to Malcolm's Undertaking as Robert had been.


	4. Chapter 4

Returning to the Queen Mansion should have felt like coming home but Oliver couldn't help but feel out of place, couldn't help but feel that something was missing. When Robbie began humming an old lullaby his heart clenched and he had to force away old memories, barely listening as his mother told him that his room was just how he'd left it. He looked down at Robbie who was looking around with wide eyes, trying to take everything in all in a single go and he gently squeezed her hand to reassure her.

Everything happened quickly after that. Meeting Walter Steele, the Alpha who bore enough of his mother's scent that Oliver knew the man and Moira were Bonded. Seeing Raisa again, who welcomed him with that warm, loving smile. Being reunited with Thea, who's dynamic had presented, unsurprisingly, as Alpha. She had hugged him and seemed so close to tears until she caught sight of Robbie.

Introducing Thea to Robbie went as smoothly as could be expected. Thea, though clearly shocked by the news that she was an aunt, had tried to hug Robbie who, still uncertain of all the new people in her life, had shied away and hid behind Oliver's legs. He saw the hurt look in Thea's eyes, even though she tried to hide it, and he had started to apologize but Moira had cut in, saying it was completely understandable and that it would just take time for Robbie to become comfortable around them all.

Oliver had nodded and, as politely as he could, excused himself and Robbie, saying he wanted to get her to rest for a while before dinner. Raisa told him she'd make certain a room was made up specifically for Robbie and he'd nodded his thanks, taking his daughter for the time being to his old room which, even as he walked in, felt foreign to him. It had been his room for nearly his entire life, had been his sanctuary for so very long, but now everything in it no longer had any sort of meaning to him and he felt like a stranger in a place that had once been his refuge.

Setting the box he'd carried in from the car down he watched as Robbie slowly moved away from his side, she was looking around the room, taking everything in. She eyed the bed and, not surprisingly, didn't hesitate too long before climbing onto it. She sank slightly into the softness and blinked as she looked at him. He watched a smile spread across her face as she slowly, carefully stood up in the center of the bed and, like any other child, started jumping up and down. When she started to giggle, giggles which soon became happy squeals of laughter, he couldn't help but chuckle.

How long had it been since she'd last been able to be a kid? Just an ordinary little girl?

Robbie leapt upwards again and, before she landed, she threw herself backwards, laughing as she landed amid the pillows.

Still smiling Oliver crossed to the bed, sitting down and gathering Robbie into his arms, holding her close even as she tugged lightly as his shirt, no longer able to indulge in her habit of twining her fingers in his hair.

"Are we going to stay here long?" She peered up at him and he knew this must have been so confusing for her.

"This is our home, Robbie," he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "We live here now."

Robbie studied him, silently, for a moment before she looked around the room. He knew it would take her time, perhaps more time than it would take him, to become accustomed to living in the house, in the city, especially after all they'd been through. He kissed her temple. 

"It'll be alright, little bird," he said with a smile as she turned her gaze back to him. "Everything's going to be alright now."

Robbie looked at him with those big blue eyes.

"You said that with Maseo and Tatsu." 

Oliver's heart stuttered and he hugged his daughter closer, kissing her cheek, even as she snuggled against him. He didn't know what to say in response to her words so he went the safest route he could. 

"You want me to sing your song before I take a shower, little bird?"

Robbie nodded and he smiled, feeling that at the very least he could give her a sliver of normalcy.

_"Hey, little Kookaburra_   
_Sitting in a tree_   
_Won't you come and_   
_Sing a little song to me_

_Sing o' the forests_   
_Sing o' the sea_   
_Hey, little Kookaburra_   
_Sing for me_

_Though the wind is blowing_   
_Though the storm is strong_   
_Just sing, little Kookaburra_   
_Won't be long_   
_Till the storm is over_   
_Till the skies are clear_   
_Sing, little Kookaburra_   
_Keep faith near"_

He sang until Robbie had fallen asleep and then, carefully, he laid her on the bed, tucking a blanket over her, gently tucking her hair behind her ear before rising and going into the adjoining bathroom. His shower was long, much longer than it should have been, but it had been so long since he'd been somewhere safe enough to indulge in something as simple as a long, hot shower. When he finally finished, stepping out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist he paused and examined his reflection in the full standing mirror. Gone was the spoiled billionaire playboy. In place of that naive child stood a man hardened by the last five years.

His gaze tracked over the tattoos and scars littering his torso the proof of all that he had endured. All that he had survived. Drawing a deep breath, mind trying to drag him back down to the night the _Gambit_ had gone down, he quickly turned and got dressed, trying hard to keep his memories locked in the back of his mind. Right now he had to focus on the fact that he was home, his family had drastically changed and, in just a few hours, his best friend would be arriving to have dinner with him. He wasn't certain dinner was a good idea, or seeing Tommy again so soon, but he had faced far worse things and survived. So he figured he could make it through one dinner.

Once he was dressed he glanced at Robbie, who was starting to stir, and a smile spread across his face as he crossed the room, sitting on the edge of the bed and running his fingers through her hair as she inhaled deeply through her nose, eyes fluttering open and blinking sleepily.

"Hey, little bird," he said softly, still combing his fingers trough her hair, working a knot out of the dark blonde tresses. "You ready for a bath?"

Robbie tried, and failed, to stifle a yawn as she nodded and Oliver chuckled as he stood, lifting her into his arms.

The bath went about how he expected it to and, thanks to Robbie's enthusiastic splashing and horseplay, his clothes ended up soaked but he laughed right along with her as he wrapped her in one of the large bath towels from the shelf in the corner, carrying her back out to the bedroom, letting her sit on the edge of the bed as he rifled through the duffle bag with the clothes they'd brought from Hong Kong with them.

Once Robbie was dressed, and Oliver was changed into dry clothes, she sat in front of him on the bed, letting him towel her hair dry before he brushed it out. She looked over her shoulder at him. "Will you braid it, Daddy?"

Oliver smiled, kissing her forehead. "Course I will."

Only to release he had no way of tying the end of the braid off. On the island he'd used a simply strip of leather to pin Robbie's hair in but that had worn out some time ago. He started to frown, wondering what he was going to use, only to remember that they were home, that he could just go ask Thea for a hair tie. He stood slowly, keenly aware of Robbie watching him, curious as to his sudden movements.

"I need to get a tie from Thea, little bird," he said as he headed towards the door. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Robbie nodded and he smiled at her before leaving the room, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Robbie waited until the door was shut before she leapt off the bed, moving over to where the box from Lian Yu was sitting. She easily opened the locks, she'd seen her daddy put the combination in lots of times so she knew it by heart and, once she had it open, she moved a few things around before she found the little black box that her daddy kept hidden away for safety. Glancing towards the door she carefully opened the box, taking out the necklace, slipping the chain over her head before tucking the necklace beneath her shirt, feeling a tiny bit better now. She returned the black box to its place before closing and locking the big box once more.

Hurrying back over to the bed she had just sat back down when her daddy returned. She smiled as he crossed to her, sitting behind her and slowly beginning to braid her hair. She still wasn't certain they'd be staying very long in this place, they didn't stay anywhere very long, but her daddy said it was home so, for now at least, she'd accept that.


	5. Chapter 5

Oliver was waiting for Tommy to arrive in the entryway, looking at the photographs sitting on the little table. He picked up one, taken when he'd been a child, of him and his father and, despite the painful memories it stirred, he couldn't help but smile. His father might have been a difficult man, old fashioned in many ways, but he never doubted the man loved him. He heard, from the dining room, Robbie's sweet laugh and his smile widened.

He heard the door open unexpectedly and caught the scent, the warm, familiar scent, of the man who was, and always would be, his best friend.

"What did I tell you," Tommy's voice washed over Oliver and suddenly it didn't feel like five years had passed. "Yachts suck."

Oliver couldn't help but chuckle as he put the photograph down, turning face his friend for the first time in years. Tommy still looked the same. Right down to the confident, cocky smirk. They hugged and Oliver was still smiling as they stepped apart, Tommy's gaze was a bit shifty and he knew immediately that something was up.

"Tommy?"

"Don't...get mad or anything. When he heard I was coming here he insisted on coming too."

Oliver frowned a tiny bit. "Who?"

Movement at the door caught his attention and his focus immediately shifted, years of training, of experience, making him wary. He watched, surprised, as Tommy's father, Malcolm, stepped inside closing the door behind him. A small smile graced the elder Merlyn's face and Oliver's heart skipped a tiny beat. The last time he had seen Malcolm Merlyn things had been...interesting to say the least.

"Oliver," Malcolm spoke in that sophisticated way of his even as he stepped closer. "You have no idea how good it is to see you."

Oliver smiled and let Malcolm draw him into a hug, trying very hard to ignore the fact that he knew what the man looked like naked, how that strong, powerful Alpha scent deepened to a nearly primal point when he was worked into a frenzy. As the Alpha's hand rubbed over his back Oliver felt a tremor rolled through him and quickly stepped away, a prickling sensation ran up his neck and into the back of his skull as he moved. Still smiling, still trying to seem like the happily returned son, he led the way into the dining room.

He saw his mother's surprise at Malcolm being there but it was quickly masked by a pretty smile and, as Walter greeted the other Alpha, Oliver let his attention shift to Robbie, who was playing with Thea, rolling an old soccer ball back and forth between them. He smiled as he approached his daughter who, when she noticed him, giggled and launched herself up into his arms. He hugged her and turned and looked at Tommy, who was watching with open curiosity.

"Tommy," he said, still smiling, Robbie's arms wrapped around his neck, her gaze flicking from him to Tommy. "This is...This is Robbie. My daughter."

That had Tommy pulling a very good impression of a wish out of water and it would have been humorous if not for the fact that everyone was suddenly looking at them. Thankfully Tommy managed to regain control of himself and smiled, one of those bright, charming smiles he usually reserved for girls in clubs or bars.

"It's very nice to meet you, Robbie."

Robbie didn't respond, just looked at Oliver for guidance. Oliver smiled reassuringly.

"Robbie, this is my friend Tommy. We've been friends since we were younger than you are."

Robbie's nose wrinkled as she looked from him to Tommy and back again.

"I thought Maseo and Anatoli were your friends."

Oliver chuckled, hugging her closer, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. "People usually have more than two friends, little bird."

Robbie hummed but didn't look convinced. And with the way he'd been forced to raise her he didn't blame her. He kissed her temple and slowly put her on her feet, pausing when he saw something around her neck, a chain of some kind. He carefully tugged the chain out and looked at the tags hanging from it as a slight frown graced his face. Robbie's expression was closed off but her eyes reflected her worry that Oliver would be mad at her.

"Roberta," he said softly, rubbing his thumb over one of the tags, knowing it was best not to speak in English about this. It would draw too many questions that he couldn't answer. _"Nǐ cóng nǎlǐ dédào ne?"_

_Where did you get this?_

He knew that she'd gotten the chain and tags from the box now hidden beneath his bed. The box containing the remnants of their life on Lian Yu. But her shrug and refusal to answer meant she was afraid of getting in trouble. But he knew that since she'd taken it without asking she had to be feeling insecure and wanted something that calmed her and made her feel safe. She wanted to feel connected to the only life she had ever known. It would take time, a long time likely, before she was comfortable here. Oliver accepted that.

Drawing a deep breath he kissed her forehead before tucking the tags and chain back beneath her shirt. "Okay," he said with a small smile just as Raisa announced that dinner was ready.

Everyone took their seats, Oliver, Tommy, Thea and Robbie at one end of the table while Moira, Walter and Malcolm sat at the other. It was a fairly uneventful meal. Tommy rambled on about pop culture, football and politics and Oliver pretended to be interested even as Robbie kept giving him confused looks, not understanding any of it and he winked at her, silently telling her it wasn't important. During all of that he didn't fail to see how Moira and Walter acted, the way any Bonded pair acted, though they were trying hard to hide it and he knew it was because of him. Because they didn't think he could handle it. 

And then Thea decided to broach a subject everyone else had purposefully been ignoring not matter how much they wanted to ask.

"What was it like there?"

_There_ , Oliver knew, was the island. And as everyone went quiet, stilling, he looked at his sister and gave her a small, smile, hoping to deflect with a simple and vague answer.

"Cold."

He heard Robbie snort and shot his little girl a quick look but she just kept eating her dinner, humming her lullaby from time to time.

Tommy chuckled before making an announcement of getting Oliver out into the city the next day, getting him caught up on everything and, though Moira quickly agreed, saying it sounded like a wonderful idea, Walter and Thea nodding their approval, it was Malcolm who voiced an objection.

"I think," Malcolm said as he looked down the table, first at Tommy and then at Oliver. "That maybe it would be best if Oliver had some time to rest. To settle in."

"Malcolm," Moira started to say but Malcolm pressed on.

"And I'm sure his daughter would like to have him here while she adjusts as well. You all seem to forget that this, all of this, and us, is new and strange for her."

Oliver felt his heart thump against his ribs. Had he ever heard Malcolm speak like that in regards to Tommy? With such concern? Tommy was clearly effected by his father's words because he quickly looked down at his plate, hand clenched tightly around his fork, and Oliver wanted to reach out and offer some small sliver of comfort but his focus was shifted when his mother assured Malcolm that she could take care of Robbie while Oliver spent time with Tommy.

"Actually," Oliver cut in when it became apparent that Malcolm was about to defend his position on the subject, drawing everyone's attention. "I was thinking about maybe going into the office in the morning and then spending the rest of the day with Robbie."

That got Moira's attention and he could tell from her expression that it was not what she had been expecting him to say. Before she could respond Walter did.

"Well there's plenty of time for that, Oliver. Queen Consolidated isn't going anywhere."

Oliver drew a breath and thought of how to respond to that but before he could Raisa, stumbled, nearly colliding with him and dumping a bowl of fruit in his lap, but he managed to catch her and even as she apologized he helped to right her, smiling softly at her before telling her, in Russian, that it was fine. Accidents happened.

Everyone, but Robbie, stared at him in surprise.

"Dude," Tommy said, clearly impressed even with his surprise. "You speak Russian?"

Oliver knew he couldn't explain the back story there but thankfully he was provided an out when Walter, charming Alpha that he was, spoke again.

"I didn't realize you took Russian at college, Oliver."

Oliver, unable to stop himself, shot Walter a somewhat cold look and showed that, though five years had passed, he was not above petty, cutting remarks.

"I didn't realize you wanted to Bond with my mother, Walter."

Everything went silent and still again and the look on Moira's face more than anything told him that he'd crossed a line. But Oliver didn't apologize. He'd done nothing wrong. Only said what everyone else seemed to be pretending wasn't truth. When Moira's gaze swung to Thea, questioning, Thea immediately shook her head. "I didn't say anything."

Oliver found it insulting that Moira would think he couldn't see the obvious when it was right in front of him. "She didn't have to," he said calmly, wondering why everyone seemed to think he was too stupid to realize things by himself.

"Oliver," Moira said calmly, reaching for Walter's hand, smiling at her Alpha, before looking at her son again. "Walter and are Bonded, yes, but I don't want you to think we did anything to disrespect your father."

Walter gave a nod and then a hopeful look. Clearly not wanting there to be problems between him and Oliver. "We both believed that Robert, like you, was...well...gone."

Oliver said nothing to that, nothing to his mother's words either, but he couldn't stop himself from reaching up and touching his shoulder, feeling the scar there through the fabric of his shirt. Robbie watched him, knowing what was hidden by the fabric, though not fully understanding the meaning behind it. He knew he should say something. Anything. But he couldn't find the words.

Drawing a deep breath he stood and stepped around the corner of the table, leaning down to kiss the top of Robbie's head, telling her to finish her dinner, before he moved away, he barely acknowledged Tommy's words of _Are we on for tomorrow?_ with a small nod before he stepped from the room, ignoring when his mother said his name in a worried tone.

He quickly found himself in the garden, staring out into the dark expanse of the yard, remember nights on Lian Yu where the darkness meant so many different kinds of danger that he didn't dare go from camp. Drawing a deep breath he rubbed a hand over his face and pushed thoughts of the island away. He had to focus on the present, on what needed to be done here and now.

"Oliver."

He went completely still at the sound of Malcolm's voice.

Of course.

Of all the people to follow him out of the dinning room it just had to be Malcolm.


	6. Chapter 6

Oliver slowly turned and forced himself to smile.

"Malcolm."

Oliver knew it was bold, using Malcolm's given name instead of the polite _Mr Merlyn_ he'd been raised to use, but, all things considered, he thought that perhaps Malcolm wouldn't care. The Alpha proved him right by simply smiling instead of correcting him. Malcolm slowly approached him and that smile never wavered. 

"Are you alright, Oliver?"

Oliver gave a smile he hoped came across as his old charming, playboy smile. "I'm fine."

Malcolm wasn't fooled.

"There's nothing wrong with admitting you're not alright, Oliver."

Oliver chuckled and shook his head. "If something was wrong I'd say so," he said, grinning a bit.

"Then why are you out here instead of inside with your family?"

Oliver's smile faded.

"Why are you?"

Malcolm gave him a small, barely there, smile. "Because I wanted to make certain that you were alright."

"You don't have to worry about me, Malcolm."

"You're my best friend's son. I think worrying about you is part of the deal."

Oliver couldn't help but huff. "Are you sure it has nothing to do with guilt?"

Anyone else would have missed the subtle way Malcolm tensed, the slight way his stance shifted, but years of training, of living in hell, had taught Oliver a lot and there was little he missed. He said nothing though, merely waited, wanting to see what the Alpha said and did next.

"Guilt?"

Malcolm made it sound like he didn't know what Oliver was talking about and the Omega huffed lightly.

"Most Alphas at least wait until the Omega's awake before they take off."

Oliver saw Malcolm relax, the tension slowly ebbing away, and it made him wonder just what the Alpha had though he'd been talking about. What secret had Malcolm thought he'd known? It piqued Oliver's curiosity. Did Malcolm know about his father's list? Had Robert shared whatever secrets he'd taken to his grave with Malcolm? The two Alphas had been friends, best friends, was it possible that Malcolm knew something that would help Oliver save Starling City from the corruption growing within it?

As badly as he wanted answers he wisely held his silence, knowing asking outright would get him nothing but denials and deflection, merely gave a small smirk instead. 

The old, playboy smirk that had people dismissing him as a stupid kid.

"I didn't think you'd remember that," Malcolm said, giving a smirk of his own. "You were quite...intoxicated."

Oliver couldn't help but chuckle. That was certainly the polite way of describing his state when he'd stumbled into Malcolm that night. "Yeah." He gave a slight nod of his head. "Yeah, I was."

They lapsed into silence for a few moments before Malcolm spoke again.

"Are you alright, Oliver? Truly? You seem...different."

Oliver felt a twinge of something crawl through the back of his mind but he pushed it away. He'd felt that twinge before, on Lian Yu and after, but it never meant anything. At least nothing he'd ever been able to figure out so he just pushed it away. Ignored it. Focusing instead on Malcolm's question. On the way the Alpha was looking at him. Watching him. Like he was about to break at any moment. He forced himself to smile a little wider and gave a shrug.

"I told you. I'm fine."

He was taken by surprise when Malcolm suddenly moved closer, close enough that Oliver could smell his cologne and, beneath that, his natural scent. Raw Alpha. It had the hairs on the back of his neck standing up and a strange tingling sensation running down his arms. That odd twinge crawled through his mind again and for a moment he found it impossible to think or focus on anything. He had just started to draw a breath, to try and shake that sensation away, when Malcolm once more took him by surprise.

The Alpha moved, quickly, purposefully, and before Oliver could respond, even with his honed reflexes, Malcolm grabbed hold of him, one hand fisting in the fabric of his shirt, the other cupping his jaw, mouth slotting over his. Oliver let out a low, sound and reflexively, instinctively, pressed closer to Malcolm, fingers sinking into thick, dark hair as the Alpha's tongue ran over the seam of his lips, pressing in the moment Oliver parted them.

There was nothing gentle about the kiss.

Nothing tender or loving.

It was fierce and powerful and reminded Oliver of his heat spent with Malcolm.

It spurred something in him, something he hadn't felt in a long, long time and he pressed closer to Malcolm, groaning into the kiss, all but losing himself in the Alpha's scent, the power of his arms. He felt the rumble of Malcolm's growl as the man wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer until they were pressed flush together. When Malcolm's hand slid down, cupping his ass through his jeans, Oliver groaned into the kiss, hips bucking instinctively and he had just moved his hands from Malcolm's hair, reaching for the Alpha's belt, when a voice broke through the lust filled haze that had wrapped around him.

"Daddy?"

Oliver ripped himself away from Malcolm, panting for breath, feeling like electricity was running through him, snapping from nerve to nerve and he saw that Malcolm's chest was heaving as the Alpha tried to get control of himself. It was strange. How a kiss had affected them both so much. But he had no time to dwell on that, or that Malcolm had kissed him in the first place, before he heard Robbie's voice again.

"Daddy?"

She was still inside, though getting closer to the open doors, and he hurriedly smoothed down his shirt, stepping around Malcolm and towards the door just as his little girl appeared.

"Hey, little bird," he said as he moved to her, scooping her up and cradling her close. "What is?"

"I wanted to go back to our room," Robbie said as she locked her arms around his neck. Her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "But I can't find it. The house is too big." She looked over at Malcolm. "I didn't mean to bother you."

Oliver smiled and kissed her forehead. "It's okay," he said as he glanced back at Malcolm, finding the Alpha watching them, face unreadable. "Mr Merlyn and I are finished talking so it's okay."

Robbie gave a nod and snuggled into his shoulder, face tucked against his neck and Oliver looked again at Malcolm, who gave a nod of understanding. Oliver smiled faintly before heading inside, rubbing soothing circles over Robbie's back as he went.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Malcolm watched Oliver make his way back inside and all the while tried to push aside the irrational, downright insane, urge that was crawling through his entire being, an urge telling him to go after Oliver. To make sure the Omega was alright. That Oliver's little girl was alright. He had no idea where that urge was coming from, hadn't felt anything like it in years. He shook himself, physically and mentally, telling himself it was nothing but protective instinct.

Oliver was Robert's boy. And, despite how it had ended, Robert had been Malcolm's best friend. It was only natural that he would want to do right by Oliver when he'd nearly gotten him killed five years ago.

Turning away from the door, looking out over the darkness of the garden, Malcolm pushed down the protective desire and the sudden, fresh, rush of guilt. 

He drew a deep breath and rubbed a thumb over his lower lip, allowing himself a moment to think of what he'd done, kissing Oliver like that. He hadn't planned on it. Hadn't even realized what he was doing until Oliver was pulling away. He shouldn't have. He knew that. And yet it had felt good, felt right. The first bit of passion he'd had since he had helped Oliver through his heat years ago.

"Malcolm?"

He turned at the sound of Moira's voice, finding her lingering in the doorway, he gave her a smile meant to be charming but giving the pointed expression she still wore he knew it hadn't worked. "Moira."

"You've spoken with Oliver."

He nodded and Moira walked outside, closing the door behind her so they would not be overheard.

"And are you still concerned that Robert told him anything concerning the Undertaking?"

Malcolm gave a humourless chuckle. "That you have to ask that should be answer enough."

"Malcolm..."

"He's hiding something. That much is obvious."

Moira folded her hands in front of her and levelled him with a calm look. One she'd learned after years of having to deal with businessmen who thought she was beneath them because she was a woman and an Omega. "Trauma," she said calmly, evenly. "Trauma is what my son is hiding. You have no idea what he suffered on that island. What he had to endure. I will not make my son a target for what he may or may not know when all we know is that he's trying not to let us see his pain."

Malcolm drew a deep breath. "And if it isn't just trauma? If he knows something? Tries to stop us?" He shook his head. "We _must_ be certain, Moira. Beyond any doubt. Can you do that? Find a way to be certain?"

Moira's gaze narrowed. "Will you leave it all to me if I can?"

His smile widened. "Of course. Just get it done, Moira. And quickly. We're too close to risk everything now."

She nodded and turned, opening the door and heading back inside, pausing once to look back just as a rumble of distant thunder echoed overhead. "You can show yourself out, Malcolm."

He watched her go before letting out a long, slow sigh. He didn't like the idea of having to do anything to Oliver, especially not after all the boy had been through, especially not when the Omega had a child who needed him, but no matter his feelings if Oliver was a threat he would be dealt with.

One way or another.


	7. Chapter 7

Oliver soon discovered that being back in Starling City wasn't going to go as smoothly as he'd originally thought.

He went out to see the city with Tommy, like his friend had wanted, and along the way, after being shown what had and hadn't changed, he'd gone to see Laurel, needing to try and set things right with her. Or as right as they would ever be. He discovered she was a lawyer now, working at a legal aid office in the Glades, and, he knew from the moment that she looked at him that she hated him. His words would make no difference. He'd been her boyfriend, was supposed to have wanted to be with her despite them both being Omegas but had cheated on her with her sister. And, if that wasn't horrible enough, he was the reason her sister was dead.

After Laurel left him standing on the street, after he and Tommy headed back to Tommy's car, thinking to return to the Queen Estate so Oliver could check on Robbie, they were jumped and kidnapped by masked men. Masked men who seemed very interested in whether or not Robert Queen had made it to the island and what he had told Oliver. They hadn't been prepared for Oliver to free himself and fight back. Killing them had been easy. As had fabricating the story of the man in the green hood who'd saved him and Tommy. Thankfully, Tommy hadn't been conscious enough to confirm or deny Oliver's story. Not that it stopped the detective, Quentin Lance, Laurel's father, from disbelieving him. The Alpha made it very clear that he, like Laurel, held Oliver responsible for what had happened five years earlier. Which was fine. He'd bear Lance's hate like he would bear Laurel's.

The kidnapping, however, prompted his mother to hire him a bodyguard.

John Diggle was an Alpha and former soldier who smelt of gun oil and angry-grief. He still carried himself like a soldier though when he was introduced to Robbie his body language changed, became more open, more kind, and it told Oliver that the man either had a child of his own or there was one he cared deeply for and that same sort of affection would be shown to Robbie.

Diggle proved he wasn't as easily fooled as the bodyguards Oliver remembered from his youth. It became increasingly difficult to get any of the prep work for his true work in Starling City done with Diggle always watching him. He managed to slip away from the man several times. Once to get the foundry set up and again at Tommy's _Welcome Home_ party to deal with Adam Hunt, the same man Laurel was trying to get put behind bars for swindling hundreds of people out of their homes and lifesavings. A man whose name was on the list of names in his father's book.

Back at the party Oliver was confronted by Lance and his officers, who had seen the man in the green hood zip line from Hunt's building to the one where the party was being held. Trying to uphold his smug, playboy attitude Oliver had offered a million dollar reward for any information on a nutjob in a green hood. His words got the crowd fired up but only enflamed Lance's rage towards him. When Lance got in his face, eyes flashing with his rage and grief, demanding to know if he had even bothered trying to save Sara, Oliver felt like a knife was twisting in his gut.

The days bled into weeks and Oliver began slowly crossing more names off the list. Marcus Redman. Martin Summers. James Holder.

James Holder though would not be listed as a victim of the vigilante. He'd been killed by an assassin known as Deadshot. Deadshot's actual identity was Floyd Lawton, an Omega who used poison laced bullets to ensure his targets died. And though he was eventually able to take Lawton down with an arrow through the eye, something that stirred old and haunted memories, he had had no choice but to reveal the truth of his vigilante work to Diggle. It was either that or let the Alpha die from one of Lawton's poisoned bullets. Diggle hadn't handled things well at first, had stormed off, even going so far as to quite his job as Oliver's bodyguard.

Oliver was just thankful to have help and someone he could confide in concerning his nightly activities.

Oliver was surprised when, after helping Laurel prove the innocence of Peter Declan, a man charged with murdering his wife, Diggle returned, explaining that while he didn't agree with what Oliver was doing, maybe he could help keep the Omega alive. For Robbie's sake if nothing else. Unfortunately, only minutes after Diggle's return, Oliver was officially arrested and charged, by Lance no less, for obstruction of justice, aggravated assault, trespassing and murder.

Sitting in the interrogation room, handcuffed, waiting to be interrogated, Oliver knew that the police, that Lance, thought they had all the answers. That they thought they had him cornered. When Lance finally came in to interrogate him the first thing out of Oliver's mouth was "This is a mistake."

Lance didn't even acknowledge his words, merely sat down and began making notes. "I'll be asking you a few questions, just standard stuff for the report," the detective said and Oliver had the feeling the man was trying to taunt him, trying to get him worked up so he'd make a mistake and say something incriminating. "Have you ever been arrested before?"

Oliver couldn't help but chuckle humourlessly and Lance pressed on with a snide comment about knowing the answer already.

"Like I said," Oliver said as he gave Lance a calm, understanding look. "This is a mistake."

"As far as I can tell the only mistake I made was not shooting you down at the docks when I had the chance."

Oliver plastered on an annoyed expression. "I'm not who you think I am."

"No, you're exactly who I think you are. You're a dangerous menace who doesn't care about who he hurts. Except now you're doing it with bows and arrows instead of trust funds and yachts."

Oliver shook his head. "Detective," he said, sounding so calm and understanding. "You hate me. I get it. But that doesn't make me a vigilante."

Lance agreed, but stated that evidence he had did that, evidence that Oliver disputed with a carefully built story. Everything Oliver tried to claim as coincidence Lance claimed to be evidence against him and it was obvious that there wouldn't be any talking his way out of the situation. Of course that was when Moira and Walter showed up, putting a stop to the interrogation. When Walter advised him not to speak to the police until his lawyer arrived Oliver agreed but only if that lawyer was Laurel. His mother tried to argue against it but Oliver held his ground, convincing her to at least ask Laurel.

By some miracle Laurel took the case, even got Oliver released from custody, but only if he wore an ankle monitor. He acted like it was a horrible thing but was secretly pleased. It would work into his plan. As part of that plan he decided to throw a ridiculously lavish party, using it as an alibi for himself while Diggle, dressed as the vigilante, took down a bunch gang bangers. Moments after Diggle let him know things had gone smoothly a man dressed as a waiter for the party attacked, with the clear intent of killing Oliver, and was only stopped when Lance arrived and shot the man.

When Lance removed the ankle monitor he explained all charges against Oliver had been dropped. It caused his family to breathe a sigh of relief and Oliver hugged Robbie, who had launched herself into his arms the moment the detective had stepped back, knowing he'd just narrowly avoided being sent to prison. Had narrowly avoided being killed. But that raised questions. Who had hired that killer? Had it just been someone from the list, following the so-called evidence as the police had, or was it something else?

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Malcolm was in his office, working through some papers when the doors suddenly opened and Moira walked in, looking fiercer than most Omegas could even when they tried. He was somewhat surprised by her presence as he hadn't been expecting her to leave her family after everything that had happened in the last few days.

"Moira," he said with a small, polite smile. "Did we have an appointment?"

"No," she said as she fixed him with a cold, stern look. "But I decided to screw propriety after you tried to have my son killed."

Despite feeling like someone was twisting a knife in his side, a feeling he'd had ever since the moment he'd sent the man to deal with Oliver, he forced himself to appear calm and collected. "I'm sure you can understand I was justified in suspecting your son of being the vigilante targeting our associates," he said as Moira continued to give him a look that said she very much wanted to hit him. "I had to take steps."

"And now you know that your steps were taken in error. That Oliver is _not_ your enemy."

"I offer my sincerest apologies." Malcolm chuckled faintly and knew it had been the wrong thing to do when Moira's gaze narrowed dangerously. She leaned forward, hands bracing against his desk.

"I know you found out I had the yacht salvaged just as I know you had Hudson killed."

"Well accidents tend to befall people who are too curious."

Moira nodded but the fire in her eyes had yet to dissipate. She had heard his not so hidden threat. "I've been the good soldier," she said, tone cold yet firm. "I've done everything you've asked. But if any member of family so much as gets a paper cut I will burn your entire world to ashes."

Malcolm watched as Moira turned left, the door closing behind her with a soft click, before he sank back down in his chair. He rubbed a hand over his face. He hadn't wanted to target Oliver, hadn't wanted to send someone to kill the Omega, but the evidence all pointed at Oliver being the vigilante. He felt sick knowing how close he'd come to having the young man killed. He could have been responsible for little Robbie being orphaned. Oh she would have had Moira and Thea but what sort of life would that precious little girl have had without her father?

Drawing a deep breath he tried to shake off that stabbing feeling in his side as he made a sudden decision. Not a smart one. Not by a long shot. But he stood and left the office, telling his assistant to hold all calls and cancel his meetings. She nodded, dumbly, as he hurried down the hallway, using his cell phone to call and have his driver waiting out front for him.

He couldn't explain it but he had to check on Oliver. Had to see for himself that the Omega was alright.

The drive out to the Queen house was quiet, if a little tense, and Malcolm had to draw a calming breath as the driver pulled up the long drive, parking out front. Without a word to the man he climbed out and head to the door. He had just lifted his hand to knock when the door swung open. He blinked, not seeing anyone, but then looked down, finding Oliver's daughter, Robbie, looking up at him.

He smiled at her and had just started to say hello when Oliver appeared just behind her in the entryway, shrugging into a leather jacket, speaking as he moved.

"Alright, little bird, let's get going or you'll be late for your first of school and I'll never hear the end of it from your grand..." Oliver looked up from where he'd been straightening his sleeves and went completely still. "Malcolm."

Malcolm smiled. "Hello, Oliver." 

Oliver's expression was friendly but somewhat closed off. "I...My mother isn't here."

Malcolm chuckled and gave a slight nod. "That's fine," he said, still smiling, though it was softer, warmer now. "I'm actually here to see you. I...I heard what happened. I wanted to make certain you were okay."

"I'm fine." That playboy smile came out and Malcolm found he didn't care for it. It was a defence mechanism. A way for Oliver to deflect. To keep people from really seeing him. "Thanks, for the concern, but I can't talk. I've got to get Robbie to school."

Malcolm looked at Robbie, finding her studying him with those big blue eyes. Oliver's eyes. And, strangely, it reminded him of when Tommy had been little. He felt the same odd protective instinct he felt towards his son. He looked back at Oliver and his smile widened a tiny bit. "I can give you a lift if you'd like."

"I'm...I'm meeting someone, after, I..."

"I can drop you off wherever you need to be, Oliver." 

Malcolm didn't know why but it was suddenly important that he convince Oliver to let him do this. 

"You don't need to go to the trouble of..."

"Oliver." He wasn't certain if it was his tone or maybe Oliver saw something in his face but the Omega fell silent and, to Malcolm's surprise, and confusion, stiffened and moved, subtly putting himself closer to Robbie. His actions were those of an Omega protecting their pup. "It's no trouble. Now, I'm sure Robbie doesn't want to be late for her first day of school."

Robbie's expression said she didn't really care one way or the other but Oliver, not wanting to seem rude, Malcolm was sure, sighed and gave a nod. "Thanks," was all the Omega said and Malcolm nodded, giving him a smile before leading both Oliver and Robbie to his car.


	8. Chapter 8

Malcolm sat in the car, watching through the window as Oliver walked Robbie to the doors of the private academy Moira had gotten the girl into. He could see the stiffness in Oliver's shoulders, the hesitance in the Omega's eyes and he could only imagine how difficult it was for Oliver to leave his daughter in the care of people he didn't know. He watched as Robbie hugged her father, saying something to him that made Oliver laugh and, for a moment, he appeared to be the same boy from before the _Queen's Gambit_ had gone down. Seeing just a sliver of the boy he remembered had Malcolm unable to stop the smile that spread across his face.

He didn't understand why but seeing Oliver laugh, seeing the Omega happy, made his heart beat a little faster. Made him feel things he hadn't felt since Rebecca.

Shaking himself free of those thoughts he watched as Oliver stood there, watching as Robbie walked into the school, he could tell the Omega wasn't exactly comfortable with what was going on but was trying his best to accept the things he had little control over. As the young man turned and started back towards the car Malcolm shifted in his seat, straightening a bit, smoothing down his tie. Uncertain why it suddenly mattered that he look as best he could. But he drew a deep breath and smiled as Oliver slid into the car, sitting in the seat opposite him.

As the car pulled away from the curb Malcolm saw the way Oliver tensed and relaxed over and over again and he immediately reached across the space between them, covering Oliver's hand, feeling the Omega twitch and start to jerk away before relaxing.

"I know leaving your child can be difficult," Malcolm said softly, remembering what it had felt like the first day he'd dropped Tommy off at school. "I think I nearly had three panic attacks the first day I left Tommy at school."

Oliver made a soft sound in the back of his throat.

"I...I've never been away from her for very long," he said with a slight shake of his head. "For five years I've always been there...to protect her...to keep anything from happening and...and now I..." He paused and shook his head and seemed to regain control of himself. "I'm acting like an overprotective idiot."

"No." Malcolm shook his head, squeezing Oliver's hand gently. "You're acting like a father."

Oliver didn't say anything, merely looked out the window.

Malcolm knew he should move his hand away, should give Oliver his space, it was the respectful thing to do, especially with an Omega not his own, but if anything he found himself leaning a little closer. He caught Oliver's scent beneath the soap, shampoo and cologne and he noticed how, though still familiar, it had changed in the last five years. It was stronger, was richer, it was the scent of a man who'd survived God only knew what. But just beneath Oliver's natural scent there was something else. Something that spoke of an Alpha. An Alpha Malcolm didn't recognize.

He didn't realize he'd growled until Oliver's hand tensed beneath his.

"Malcolm?"

The young man's voice did not waver nor did his expression change but Malcolm sensed the wariness, the tension that came with a fight or flight instinct hard earned, and before he knew what he was doing he let out a soft, purring sound, trying to sooth, to comfort, the Omega. When Oliver looked at him, frowning, clearly confused by his actions he found himself moving again, surging forward and capturing the Omega's mouth in a kiss. He tried to be gentle but the moment he felt Oliver's lips beneath his he growled and the kiss became fierce. Demanding.

He felt Oliver stiffen and thought the Omega would push him away, his behaviour, now and weeks earlier at the Queen Estate, was out of line. They were not Bonded. He shouldn't be doing this. He didn't understand why he felt compelled to keep doing this. But he kept kissing Oliver, waiting for the Omega to push him away, to demand he keep his distance. He was taken by surprise when Oliver did shove him back in his seat only to follow after him, climbing into his lap, deepening the kiss as he moved.

Oliver groaned into the kiss as their tongues tangled and Malcolm reached down to cup the younger man's ass, pulling him closer even as Oliver rolled his hips, letting Malcolm feel his hardening cock and the Alpha groaned as his own body responded.

Malcolm growled, a deep, possessive sound, one hand leaving Oliver's ass to cup the back of the Omega's head, holding him, thrusting his tongue into the sweet Omega's mouth, their tongues twining and twisting, each fighting for dominance. It was so different than all those years ago during Oliver's heat. And Malcolm revelled in it. Oliver let out a soft throaty sound as he sank his fingers into the Alpha's hair, humping his fully erect cock against Malcolm's abdomen.

They traded kiss after kiss, the two of them rutting against one another, until Oliver seemed to decide he wanted more.

His hands left Malcolm's hair and he reached for the Alpha's belt, panting as he broke the kiss, forehead resting against Malcolm's, and as he fumbled with the belt buckle, fingers dancing over the swell of Malcolm's cock beneath his suit pants, the Alpha groaned and being nuzzling at Oliver's neck.

"So beautiful…so soft…so warm." Malcolm punctuated each comment with nibbling kisses along Oliver neck, feeling the stubble scratch against his lips. It was an amazing feeling. One he'd never considered as amazing before. "I want you...Oliver...I want you..."

Oliver gave him a look so hot it could have melted solid steel as he finally managed to get the Alpha's belt and fly open, fingers parting the fabric to dip in, running lightly over as much of Malcolm's cock as he could, making the Alpha buck and hiss.

"Oliver..."

The car came to a slow stop and, just as Malcolm reached for the button of Oliver's jeans, the drive spoke over the little intercom system.

_"Mr Merlyn, we've arrived at the...diner."_

It was like whatever spell had fallen over them shattered.

Oliver stiffened and drew back, hands flying away from Malcolm's groin as though he had been burned and Malcolm wasn't certain if it was regret he saw in Oliver's eyes or not. When the Omega made to move away, to climb from his lap, Malcolm reacted instinctively, grabbing Oliver's arm in an attempt to stop him, not wanting him to go. Oliver's reaction was intense and almost vicious.

The Omega caught him by surprise and seized his wrist in a strong grip, twisting sharply, the bones grinding and Malcolm hissed in pain. He immediately released his hold on the Omega, knowing something had to have happened to Oliver to ingrain such a violent response.

Oliver moved away, inhaling sharply, hands clenching into fists and Malcolm watched as the Omega clearly fought to get control of himself.

"Oliver..." He knew he should apologize, for grabbing Oliver, for...for initiating their intimacy, but Oliver cut him off quickly.

"I'm sorry. This...This shouldn't have happened."

"Oliver..."

Oliver shook his head and, in a flurry of movement, had the door open and was out of the car. The door shut with a snap behind him and Malcolm could only watch through the window as the Omega headed into the diner.

The Alpha's hands clenched as he thought about leaving Oliver here. In the Glades. He had lost his mate to this cesspool and its lowlifes. He hated the mere idea that he could lose Oliver to it too. He blinked at that thought. He had no control over Oliver. The young man was not his mate, not his Omega, he couldn't stop him from spending time in the Glades if he so chose. Even if he wanted to get out of the car, go after Oliver and drag the Omega back to the car and take him home where he would be safe.

Drawing a deep breath and set his clothes to right before pressing the small intercom button.

"Martin."

_"Yes, Mr Merlyn?"_

"Take me back to the office."

There was a moment of hesitation. _"Are we not waiting for Mr Queen, sir?"_

"No."

_"Very well, sir."_

Malcolm sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

This thing with Oliver was driving him crazy.

Leaning back in his seat he found his thoughts in turmoil and he couldn't calm them. Knowing going back to work at that moment was not a wise decision he pressed the intercom again. "Martin."

_"Yes, Mr Merlyn?"_

"Change of plans. Take me to the Zhi Monestary."

_"Yes, sir."_

Malcolm sighed and closed his eyes. He'd spend an hour mediating to try and clear and calm his mind, maybe talk to Jansen, the monk always offered useful advice. It was a start at least. He needed to figure this mess out and quickly. Before it boiled over and other people, Moira for instance, found out.


	9. Chapter 9

Oliver tried his best to put the incident with Malcolm from his mind.

Even went out of his way to avoid the Alpha, did everything he could to even prevent accidentally running into the man.

It helped that his work as the vigilante kept him busy.

He took down the Reston family. Who, because of a decision made by Oliver's own father years earlier, had had little choice but to turn to crime in order to survive. It reminded him that his father hadn't been a completely innocent man.

Then had come Helena Bertinelli, She was a beautiful, smart and charming Alpha, and she had captured his interest almost immediately even though he knew, deep down, that things would never work out between them. Learning that her fiancé, an Omega named Michael, had been murdered, made he want to open up to her a bit, but he couldn't. Not because he didn't care for Helena but because a part of him was screaming against it. She could never be his Alpha. When he tried to help her, tried to teach her a better path than the one she was on, it blew up in his face. Helena's only goal was revenge for her Omega. She wanted to kill her father and wouldn't stop until she did. Oliver had no choice but to let her walk away.

After Helena left the city Oliver tried to bury himself in the nightclub he was opening over the foundry, a front to hide his nightly activities. A club he would be running with Tommy, his best friend in need of a job and funds since his father had unexpectedly cut him off. Oliver sensed it was Malcolm's way of trying to get Tommy to finally take responsibility for his own life but wisely kept such opinions to himself. He was so focused on his work as a potential nightclub owner and work as the vigilante that he'd completely missed the fact that Christmas was fast approaching until Diggle mentioned it after a training session.

After Diggle left the foundry to spend time with his brother's family, Oliver returned to the Queen Estate and was greeted by the sight of Thea and Robbie, both were dressed in very nice clothes and, if Robbie hadn't been walking beside his sister, holding her hand, Oliver would have just thought Thea was going out for the evening.

"You both look very nice," he said as Robbie darted over to him, letting him scoop her up into his arms. "What's the occasion?"

Thea gave a chuckle and a grin. "Mom and Walter are having a dinner party with some big muckity mucks."

Robbie pulled a face even as Oliver let out a whistle of understanding. He remembered well what those sort of dinner parties were like and he had no desire to be part of another one. He looked at Robbie and noticed she was wearing those old dog tags again, though now they were hanging over her pretty blouse. "Did your Grandmother rope you into it to, little bird," he asked and Robbie huffed as she nodded and wrapped her arm around his neck.

"I don't like these clothes," she said firmly, sounding much older than her five years. "Why can't I wear the ones Nana Raisa gave me?"

Oliver pressed a quick kiss to her temple even as Thea laughed. "Because your Grandmother wants you to look really pretty tonight." He smiled at his daughter. "And you do, little bid. You look very pretty."

"That's what I told her," came Moira's voice and Oliver turned his head watching his mother approach as Thea beat a stealthy retreat. "And I'm glad you're home, Oliver, I'd like you to join us for dinner."

Oliver tried to talk his way out of it, not wanting to have to sit and suffering through a dinner party with people who he honestly thought were the most boring people on the planet and Robbie pulled a face that said she didn't want to go back to the dinner either but Moira gave him on of her patented looks. The ones that always had him scampering to do whatever she'd said when he'd been Robbie's age.

"Oliver, I don't ask you for much," she said, using the tone of voice that made him feel guiltier than he normally did and he knew he would give in just to make her smile. "But I'd really appreciate it if you could take an hour from your oh so busy schedule and have dinner with us."

Oliver sighed and smiled a little, giving Robbie a look, and she sighed and nodded, knowing she wasn't getting out of the dinner either.

"Okay," he said and Moira beamed at him.

"Wonderful." She turned and led the way into the dinning room and Oliver followed her, pretending not to notice the faces Robbie kept pulling. As they entered the dinning room Moira gave a little, dramatic introduction and Oliver smiled as people greeted him and as he took his seat at the table, setting Robbie in the chair next to him, he tried to pretend that it was anyone other than Malcolm sitting across from him. He also tried to pretend that he didn't have an odd tingling sensation in the back of his skull. A sensation he hadn't felt since the last time he had been near Malcolm.

He ignored most of the conversation, instead trying to appear to be a good parent by trying to convince Robbie to try thing food on her plate that she didn't recognize and was insisting, though she'd never had it, that she didn't like.

"How do you know you don't like it if you don't try it," Oliver chuckled as Robbie poked at the food she was refusing to ever try. "It looks like kayu. You love kayu."

Robbie wrinkled her nose and Oliver pretended not to notice how both his mother and Malcolm were grinning. His mother was probably remembering all the times he'd given her grief about his food and how hard she'd had to fight to get him to eat certain things. No doubt she found this all very amusing.

"I love grubs too, Daddy, but I don't eat every bug I find in the garden."

Moira promptly choked on her wine while Malcolm snorted into his own glass, clearly fighting to keep from laughing aloud. Everyone else who had overheard Robbie's comment, which was nearly everyone at the table, merely stared in surprise.

Oliver suddenly wondered if this was God's way of punishing him for being a little hellion when he had been Robbie's age.

"Little bird..."

She shook her head. "I'm not eating it."

Oliver frowned. "Robbie..."

She gave him a disgusted look. "I'm not."

"Robbie..."

"You can't make be eat that disgusting..."

"Roberta Shado Queen."

Oliver watched his daughter shrink a bit in her chair at the use of her full name. In all honesty he hadn't given her the middle name until she'd been nearly a year and a half old. Before that it hadn't really seemed important. But she, like all children, knew the use of her full name meant that it was serious and, like all children whose parents had no choice but to use the full name card, she was properly chastised. She glanced at him for a moment before scooping a bunch on food onto her fork and all but shovelling it into her mouth.

He suspected the face she made was more for show than anything, even when she downed half her glass of water as though to rid her mouth of a foul taste, and when she looked at him again he didn't miss the defiance in her eyes.

"Well?" He pressed, wanting to see if she'd admit to actually liking the food. Her nose wrinkled further.

"I'd rather eat grubs."

Nearly everyone chuckled and Oliver suspected this was not the last battle concerning food that they would have. Robbie could be quite pigheaded. But at least she got that trait honestly. 

Sighing softly he turned back to his barely eaten meal just as the police commissioner turned the conversation to the recent drop in crime rates, stating it was because of the changes implemented by the police force. Walter suggested that perhaps the criminals were running scared of the vigilante. Oliver felt a small surge of pride that he was actually making a difference in the city but let nothing show on his face, merely grinning as though agreeing with his stepfather. Though someone at the table seemed to take it as something else completely.

"What are your thoughts, Oliver?"

Oliver shot Malcolm a look, finding the Alpha looked genuinely interested in hearing his opinion. It made Oliver wonder why. He decided the best course of action was to act the ignorant, arrogant, playboy.

"I think," he said with a grin, pretending not to notice when Robbie stole a cherry tomato from his plate. "That he needs a better code name than the Hood or Hood Guy."

Everyone around the table chuckled and he saw the slight grin on Malcolm's face.

"I agree," Malcolm said with the grin still on his face and humour lacing his voice. "How about...Green Arrow?"

While part of Oliver though it fitting, giving the outfit and archery, he gave a small shrug and once again went with youthful ignorance. "Lame."

Another chorus of chuckles went around the table and Oliver held Malcolm's gaze when the Alpha continued to stare at him. That tingling sensation grew intense and he almost looked away just to rid himself of it but, before he had to, Walter's sudden departure from the table, to take an important work call, had Malcolm looking away, watching the other Alpha closely. Oliver wondered what that was about but before he could give it much thought the police commissioner's daughter, who was sitting to Malcolm's left, spoke to Robbie, effectively drawing his attention.

"That's a pretty necklace, Roberta," the girl said, commenting on the dog tags, Oliver remembered Thea saying wearing dog tags was now some sort of fashion trend. "Did your daddy buy it for you?"

Robbie's hand immediately went to the tags, fingers curling reflexively around them, holding them tightly even as she shook her head.

"They're my Dad's."

It was the way she spoke, making it clear there was a difference between her daddy, Oliver, and her dad, the unknown Alpha father, that had Moira looking at her with surprise. Even Malcolm seemed surprised by Robbie's declaration but the police commissioner's daughter didn't seem to know that Oliver had never made Robbie's Alpha father known because the next thing out of the girl's mouth was, "Oh, that's so sweet. Is he in the army, honey?"

Robbie looked down, thumb rubbing over one of the tags, and Oliver saw the tears sparkle in her eyes.

"My Dad's dead."

Oliver saw the shock on the many faces but his only focus was his daughter. He rubbed his hand over her back and asked her, in Chinese, if she wanted to be excused from the table but she shook her head, answering, also in Chinese, that she was okay. Oliver knew she was just putting on a brave face but nodded anyways, pressing a kiss to her hair.

Thankfully, before anyone could say anything else on that subject or ask any questions, a police officer entered the room, going over to the police commissioner and whispering in the man's ear. When someone asked if everything was alright the commissioner explained that the vigilante had killed Adam Hunt. Shock went through Oliver, who quickly made up a convenient, believable excuse to leave dinner and, after asking his mother if she would mind keeping an eye on Robbie and having her tell him she would, politely excused himself.

He needed to get back to the foundry and find out what the hell was going on.


	10. Chapter 10

Investigating Hunt's murder led Oliver to chase another archer. An archer who proved, in a warehouse after abducting several people just to draw Oliver out, that he was more skilled, better trained, than Oliver. But he managed to get away, managed to slink out into an alley where Diggle found him, barely conscious, injured and in desperate need of medical attention. 

Thankfully Diggle came up with a convincing cover story and, though he had to answer to Thea for bailing on the Christmas party he had insisted upon after learning the family hadn't had a real Christmas since the _Queen's Gambit_ had gone down. Thankfully she wasn't overly angry, even smuggled him in a candy cane. 

Unfortunately the merriment of the holidays was dampened by the disappearance of Walter.

Oliver did everything he could think of to find the man. Diggle even reached out to contacts he had in in the FBI and Interpol, but nothing turned up. He'd even resorted to using his contact inside the Bratva, hoping some less than legal assistance might turn up something, but after six weeks and no news his hope of locating his mother's mate began to wane.

His mother was not handling things well. Had taken to shutting herself up in her room. Oliver recognized her grief but had no idea what to say, or do, to try and help her through it. And though he wanted to be there for his family his work as the vigilante pulled him away. He had to deal with Garfield Lynns a firefighter seeking revenge. The Count, a drug dealer whose product, Vertigo, was sweeping the city. Cyrus Vanch, a killer who'd kidnapped Laurel just to get to the vigilante.

During all the craziness Thea managed to bring Moira out of her reclusive shell which led to the woman taking over as head of Queen Consolidated in Walter's absence. Unfortunately Thea also began to think that Moira and Malcolm were having an affair. That they had been having an affair when Robert had still been alive.

It was ridiculous, Oliver knew that because he'd been intimate with Malcolm and he'd never once caught his mother's scent on the man, nothing at least that would indicate that sort of relationship. Not that he could tell his sister that. Nor could he reveal that it hadn't been their mother but their father who, in their childhood, had had indiscretions. He had promised Moira to keep that secret. To preserve Thea's memory of Robert.

Oliver put Thea's concerns from his mind when Diggle revealed that, while they'd been dealing with Vanch, he had done some digging of his own and uncovered some information that indicated that Moira might be involved in what happened to the _Queen's Gambit_ and some secret plan involving the city. Unfortunately confronting Moira resulted in Oliver being shot and having to rely on Felicity Smoak in order to get back to the foundry where, together, she and Diggle managed to patch him up. During the ordeal memories, memories he'd thought he'd buried, surfaced, reminding him of things he'd rather forget.

Not long after that he, Diggle and Felicity began investigating a world renowned jewel thief known only as the Dodger. And while using a priceless family heirloom to try and trap the thief, Felicity had ended up with a bomb strapped around her neck while the thief who'd put it there did his best to get away. Thankfully Oliver had managed to stop the Dodger before anything terrible had happened, saving both Felicity and taking down one of Interpol's most wanted in the process.

And then came the assassination attempt on Malcolm.

Something Oliver only learned about after taking down the would-be-assassin, Guillermo Barrera, which led to him to the Chinese Triad who had put the hit on Malcolm, though Oliver suspected someone else was behind it and just using the Triad to do their dirty work. While working to protect Malcolm it came to light that Floyd Lawton, who Oliver had thought dead, had survived the arrow because of the targeting eyepiece he'd been wearing and was now the assassin the Triad was using to take down Malcolm.

He'd managed to save Malcolm though. Even if the man had been hit by one of Lawton's poisoned bullets. It had meant having to reveal his true identity to Tommy, who'd been clearly shocked, but together they had saved Malcolm, using a transfusion of blood from Tommy to dilute the poison long enough for the paramedics to reach Malcolm. The entire time Oliver had felt like something in him was being ripped apart. He knew the sensation well, knew what it meant, and knew that Malcolm had probably felt it too. Which was why he wasn't overly surprised when, only an hour after Malcolm was settled in a private hospital room, Tommy called him.

"Dad says...says he wants to talk to you," Tommy said and for the first time Oliver couldn't tell what his friend was feeling. "Does...Does he know about..."

"No."

There was silence for a moment before Tommy spoke again. "Room 62-A."

Before Oliver could thank him Tommy disconnected the call. Sighing, he rubbed a hand over his face, and left for the hospital. He got in without much issue, apparently Malcolm had informed the nurse that he would be arriving and, as he slipped into the room, closing the door behind him, he tried to pretend his heart wasn't pounding against his ribs. Malcolm was in the bed, propped up on pillows, and when those bright blue eyes fixed on him he drew a deep breath.

"Oliver," Malcolm's voice was calm, even, as Oliver stepped closer to the bed.

"Tommy said you wanted to talk to me."

Malcolm drew a slow breath, shifting slightly, never taking his eyes off Oliver.

"Come here," the Alpha said and when Oliver didn't move he made a soft sound. "Please, Oliver?"

Oliver knew he shouldn't. He should just stay where he was. Hash this out with distance between them. And yet he found himself moving forward until he was standing next to the bed. He tensed when Malcolm reached out and took his hand, thumb rubbing over the back of his hand. It was likely meant to be a soothing gesture but Oliver was to tense for it to work.

"Were you ever going to tell me," Malcolm asked, looking Oliver in the eye and Oliver had to fight not to pull away.

"Malcolm..."

"Not telling me five years ago I understand but...but you've been home for months and...and did it ever cross your mind to tell me that we were Bonded?"

Oliver wished Malcolm sounded angry, he wished the Alpha was shouting, anything other than this calm acceptance. He'd always been prepared for anger. For Malcolm's outrage or disbelief. He didn't know how to handle this.

"Malcolm..."

"You're my mate, Oliver." Malcolm gripped his hand a little tighter. "I deserved to know that."

Oliver felt a lump start to form in his throat and he had to clear it, audibly, trying to figure out what to say, how to answer the Alpha, his Alpha, but nothing came to mind. He never had been good with words.

"Oliver," Malcolm rubbed his thumb over Oliver's hand again. "Oliver I...normally I wouldn't ask this but...but considering we...we're mates I feel I need to know." He paused for a moment, searching Oliver's gaze for something. "Robbie...is she my..."

"No."

Oliver's tone was cold, hard and unyielding.

Malcolm blinked, clearly surprised by Oliver's sharpness, but the Omega would not be budged. He would not tell Malcolm anything concerning Robbie's parentage. Not now. Not ever.

"Oliver, given her age and...and everything that happened between us five years ago...you have to understand that I find it hard to believe there isn't a chance that she's..."

Oliver wrenched his hand away from Malcolm's, stepping back, putting distance between them as he gave the Alpha a cold look.

"Robbie is _not_ your daughter," he growled, hands clenching into fists at his sides. "And that's all you need to know on the matter."

"Oliver..."

Oliver shook his head. "I can't do this," he muttered, turning towards the door. "I...I'm glad you're okay but I just...I can't do this, Malcolm."

He heard Malcolm call his name and though his instincts, the damn Bond, told him to turn back, to go to his Alpha, he fought them down and continued on. Out in the hallway his shoulders slumped and he rubbed a hand over his face before he made his way out of the hospital. His cell phone rang numerous times on his way home, most of those calls from Malcolm and a few from Tommy, no doubt on Malcolm's behalf, but Oliver didn't bother answering them.

Once home he made his way to Robbie's room, finding his little girl on the floor, coloring, and when she heard him close the door she looked up at him with a smile. "Hi, Daddy," she said as he crossed the room, sitting on the floor next to her, reaching up to tuck a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.

"Hey, little bird," he said softly, watching as she picked up a different crayon, drawing big fluffy clouds on the paper. "What are you drawing?"

"Home."

He smiled as he watched her draw the open field just beyond the plane that, for so very long, had been their home. He watched as she drew a little girl with two men. One with yellow hair and the other with dark. "Is that you with me and Dad," he asked after a few minutes and Robbie smiled as she nodded.

"Yeah," she said as she added more grass before suddenly stopping and looking at her in that oh so perceptive way she had. "Daddy...you look sad."

"I'm not sad just...just really worn out, little bird."

She didn't understand what his words really meant but she understood the tone of his voice, the look in his eyes, and the set of his shoulders. She had seen it all before. After they'd had to leave Maseo. She slowly climbed into his lap and hugged him, tucking her head beneath his chin as she began humming the tune to her lullaby before she softly started singing, fingers playing with the short strands of hair at the back of his neck.

_"Hey, little Kookaburra_   
_Sitting in a tree_   
_Won't you come and_   
_Sing a little song to me_

_Sing o' the forests_   
_Sing o' the sea_   
_Hey, little Kookaburra_   
_Sing for me_

_Though the wind is blowing_   
_Though the storm is strong_   
_Just sing, little Kookaburra_   
_Won't be long_   
_Till the storm is over_   
_Till the skies are clear_   
_Sing, little Kookaburra_   
_Keep faith near"_

Oliver smiled as he pressed his cheek to Robbie's hair, combing his fingers through the soft strands, he hugged her close and tried not to think of how things were going to change now that Malcolm knew they were Bonded.


	11. Chapter 11

Oliver sat awake for a long time after tucking Robbie into bed. He sat beside her, watching over her, his phone lighting up and vibrating every now and again on the bedside stand. He checked the caller id. Malcolm. Again. The Alpha was being fairly persistent and Oliver imagined that the moment he was released from the hospital Malcolm would turn up at the house and insist they talk about things.

He was not looking forward to that.

Leaning back against the headboard he closed his eyes and let his mind wander back through time.

_He was keenly aware of Slade watching him empty his stomach contents, what little there was, into the bushes just passed their training area._

_"This makes six days, kid," Slade said once he'd finally stopping being sick. "You need to start thinking about..."_

_"I'm not pregnant," Oliver insisted, not for the first time. "I'm just..."_

_"It's not food poisoning or else I'd be sick too. And it's not some other illness because, again, I'd have it." Slade shook his head as Oliver spit in the bushes again. "So that leaves..."_

_"I am not..."_

_Slade was suddenly invading his space, the Alpha's dominating presence nearly enough to make Oliver step back, to submit, but he held his ground even as Slade rubbed his gloved hand over the Omega's abdomen. The gesture made Oliver quiver slightly and it was enough that he stepped away from Slade. The last Alpha to touch him like that hadn't exactly been gentle and the memories still haunted him. Thankfully the Alpha didn't press again._

_"You're pregnant, kid," Slade said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You need to start thinking about what we're going to do about that."_

_"We?"_

_"Yeah, kid, we."_

A knock at the door drew him from his thoughts and he shifted slightly, easing slowly away from Robbie before climbing from the bed and walking over to open the door. He was surprised to find his mother standing there. "Mom, what..."

"Malcolm called," she said and he could tell by the tone of her voice that the Alpha had told her. Likely because he hadn't been able to reach Oliver himself and had known Moira would try and talk to him.

"Mom..."

Moira shook her head and gestured for him to leave Robbie's room and he nodded, understanding this was not something they should talk about where Robbie might overhear. He followed his mother to the main sitting room, watched her pour a drink, waiting silently for the disapproval he knew was coming. Drawing a deep breath he watched her sip her drink before she turned to him.

"You could have told me," she said as she regarded him. "You could have shown me enough trust to...to tell me you were Bonded to a man old enough to be your father."

Oliver frowned.

"Are you angry because I didn't tell you, because my mate is, as you said, old enough to be my father or is it because I Bonded to Malcolm Merlyn?"

He saw Moira's grip on her glass tighten and watched as her gaze became steely.

"Oliver, Malcolm is hardly the sort of Alpha I'd envisioned you Bonding with. He's...He's..."

"I know what he is, Mom."

Moira shook her head. "You really don't, sweetheart." She sipped her drink again. "I'd suggest breaking the Bond but after five years...well...I won't watch you suffer through what breaking a Bond that old and strong would do."

Oliver was, admittedly, a tad surprised. He'd honestly expected her to try and convince him to break the Bond. "So what are you suggesting?"

Moira sighed. "I'm not suggesting anything." He knew that tone. It was the _I'm your mother and you'll do as I say_ tone. "I'm saying you shouldn't see or spend time with him. It would be best for you both."

"Mom..."

"Just because you're Bonded to him doesn't mean you need to have a relationship with him, Oliver. He has no claim on you and no right..."

"He does though. As my Alpha he..."

"Nothing is on record," Moira clarified as she set her glass down. "And, until there is, you are under no obligation to him. None."

"Mom..."

"I will not see you throw your life, your future, away for...for Malcolm. And what about Robbie? What sort of life do you think she would have with Malcolm as a parental figure? I mean look at Tommy. Do you want your daughter to turn out like that? Like your sister is turning out?"

"You mean do I want her to turn out like me."

Moira blinked. "Oliver..."

"My daughter is not me. She is not Tommy or Thea. She is her own person, with her own mind, so don't assume she'll be anything like me just because she's going to grow up like I did."

"Oliver, I didn't mean..."

"For all anyone knows she could turn out more like her father than anyone."

He stopped short. He hadn't meant to say that. He'd just been so bothered by his mother's words that he'd spoken before he thought. He wished he could take back his words but it was too late and judging by the way his mother was looking at him she was about to say something she knew he wasn't going to like but, instead of leaving it alone, she drew a deep breath and spoke softly.

"Who is Robbie's other father, Oliver?"

"Don't." Oliver shook his head. "Just...don't."

"Oliver, I could respect your choice to keep this secret before...before I knew you were Bonded to Malcolm but...but now...please, Oliver, you can trust me with this. Who is her father?"

Oliver shook his head and turned away from his mother, refusing to answer, to even think about answering her.

"Is Malcolm her father?"

He didn't respond and Moira just kept pressing.

"Oliver, please," Moira stepped closer. "Does Robbie belong to Malcolm?"

His hands clenched at his sides and ground his teeth together.

"Oliver..."

"Stop." He shook his head, giving her a cold look, wishing she would just leave it alone. "Just stop, Mom, please. I don't...I _won't_ talk about this."

Moira gave him a disbelieving look.

"Oliver, you need to..."

"I don't need to do anything!" Oliver knew he shouldn't have shouted at her, not at his mother, but he just didn't know how else to get his point across. "My daughter's father is not a subject that is up for debate! Not now! Not ever! So just...just leave it alone!"

Moira said nothing for a moment, merely regarded Oliver, but when she finally spoke what she said was the last thing he'd expected.

"Oliver, sweetheart, were...were you forced? Is that...why you don't want to discuss it?"

Oliver blinked, mouth opening and closing a few times, like a fish out of water, unable to say anything and his mother took his silence to mean something.

"Sweetheart, if...if that's what happened it's not your fault. You're not responsible for what some depraved individual did when you were helpless to...Oliver!"

Her shout of his name was due to his turning and walking away.

He heard her call after him again but he just kept walking. He made his way back to Robbie's room, checking on his little girl, smiling at her sleeping face, at the she clutched the little stuffed kookaburra toy Felicity had bought her to her chest. He leaned down, brushing a soft, quick kiss to her hair before he sat on the bed next to her, not surprised when she immediately snuggled closer. He smiled as he wrapped an arm around her.

As he sat there in the dark, in the silence, his mother's words, her query as to whether or not he'd been assaulted, kept running through his mind.

He shook his head to try and clear it.

He didn't want to think of any of that.

Bad enough thinking of Slade earlier was opening wounds he'd thought long healed.

Drawing a deep breath he closed his eyes and leaned back against the headboard. His life just kept getting more and more complicated.


	12. Chapter 12

_He was tied down, unable to move, unable to escape, unable to fight back._

_Breath, warm and teasing, ghosted over the side of his face and he quivered. Not in delight or pleasure but in disgust. In fear._

_He felt a gloved hand run up his side, fingers teasing the still healing wounds, and he shied away, fear clogging his veins, paralyzing his voice, making him even more helpless as he watched the dark clothed figure looming over him. A laugh, dark and haunting, echoed through the air._

_"Who'd have thought I'd get to keep the little Omega bitch," the man's voice rumbled like thunder and held an accent that he couldn't place. It wasn't British but held a similar twang. And it might have been attractive if not for the fact that the man to whom it belonged was a murderer. A mercenary who cared only for money. "If I had known Fyers was going to reward me with something like you I'd have switched sides a long time back."_

_He twitched, trying to find the will, the strength, to break free, to get away from those roaming hands. As one swept over his abdomen he flattened himself to the table, trying his hardest to get away, to not let this monster touch him there. The man laughed again._

_"Don't worry, mate," the man said with a grin. "Once we get rid of that pup you're carrying you'll be singing a different tune. You'll be dripping and begging for my cock."_

_He shook his head. Never. He'd never want that. It made him ill just thinking of this monster using him like that. And the thought of losing his pup, the precious bit of life growing within him, it tore his heart and soul apart and he desperately reached through his Bond, trying to communicate with the man on the other side of it but there was nothing but that dark emptiness. When a hand cupped his chin, forcing his head to be still, he squeezed his eyes shut as lips descended on his, a tongue forcing its way into his mouth._

Oliver jerked as he woke sharply, a sound, possibly a scream, lodged in his throat and he rapidly looked around, trying to remember where he was only to still when he caught the scent of his daughter, when he heard her soft breathing over his heart pounding in his ears. Drawing a ragged breath he looked down at Robbie, still tucked to his side, and he reached out to a shaky hand to brush her hair from her face. He was glad he hadn't woken her. There had been too many night, before their return to Starling, when his nightmares has disturbed her rest as well as his own.

He didn't want that anymore.

He wanted her to have as normal a childhood as she could.

He didn't want her to remember any of the darkness of their past.

Tucking her hair behind her ear he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her temple before rising from the bed, careful not to wake her.

Leaving her to sleep, he quietly left the room before slowly making his way through the house.

Each step reminding him of the life he'd had before.

The life that had ended five years ago when the _Gambit_ had gone down.

Everything had changed.

He paused at the top of the stairs, running his hands over his face, trying to push away the remains of his nightmare, his side giving a phantom ache. Drawing a deep breath he decided to go to the foundry, to take his frustration out on some of the training equipment for an hour or so. As he descended the stairs an odd sensation tingled at the back of his skull, one he was familiar enough with to recognize, and he let out a low sound as he prowled to the front door, yanking it open just as the person on the other side raised their hand to knock.

"Malcolm."

The only way he could describe the look on Malcolm's face was to say that the man looked relieved.

"Oliver," Malcolm gave him one of those small, genuine smiles. The sort Oliver had rarely seen the man use.

When the Alpha started to reach for him Oliver bristled and shook his head.

"You shouldn't be here, Malcolm," Oliver said, gripping the edge of the door, fighting down the urge to slam the door shut.

"You're my mate, Oliver, and I should be wherever you are."

Oliver's grip on the door edge tightened a bit more.

"Malcolm..."

"I know you likely wish we were not Bonded," Malcolm continued as though Oliver hadn't spoken, as though Oliver's expression was anything but cold and flat. "You're young. No one your age wants to be Bonded to someone old enough to be their parent but...but Oliver I...I care about you. Beyond the Bond. I care. I won't lie and say us being Bonded will be easy but I am willing to try. I could...I could make you happy, Oliver. I could be a wonderful mate to you and...and a good father figure for Robbie. I..."

It was the mentioning of his daughter that reminded Oliver why exactly he had kept distance between himself and Malcolm. Hearing Malcolm claim he could be a good father to Robbie, when he had all but neglected his own son, caused a firestorm of emotions to ripple through Oliver and he made a low, somewhat angry sound.

"You need to leave."

Malcolm blinked and Oliver had to fight down the urge to comfort the man.

"Oliver..."

"I'm asking you to leave, Malcolm."

Malcolm regarded him for a moment, face unreadable, searching for something, but then he shook his head. "No," he said firmly, his tone pure Alpha and a shiver rolled down Oliver's spine. He tramped down the instinct to submit, to just do what his Alpha wanted so the man wouldn't be angry with him. "I'm not leaving, Oliver. Not until we work out whatever...whatever issues lay between us. I've lost one mate in my life I won't lose you as well."

Hearing the reminder of Malcolm's wife, his first mate, had guilt swirling in Oliver's gut.

How would he explain this to Tommy? To their friends? To anyone?

Tommy was already angry with him. This news would destroy whatever remained of their shaky friendship.

And what about Robbie? How was he supposed to tell his daughter any of this? She wouldn't understand. Wouldn't accept Malcolm in a role that, to her, belonged to a man she could barely remember.

No matter how much he wanted to be with his Alpha, no matter how his instincts screamed that he had to accept Malcolm, had to be with him, he couldn't. Not only for the people he cared about but for himself. He couldn't very fell save Starling, couldn't right his father's wrongs, if he was with Malcolm. It would be far too difficult to lie to the man. To keep him in the dark about how he truly spent his nights. So, no matter how much it hurt, he had to push Malcolm away, had to convince the Alpha he didn't want him.

"And what about what I want," Oliver asked coldly, gaze narrowing. "What if I don't want you to be a wonderful mate or a father to my daughter? What if I just want you to..."

He was taken by surprise when Malcolm moved, reaching out to cup his jaw, mouth slotting over his, the kiss deep and passionate, no doubt Malcolm's way of trying to convey his feelings to Oliver. Part of Oliver wanted to just give in, to let Malcolm in, but it was all too much, too soon and he tore himself away from the Alpha with more force than necessary, putting space between them, seeing the surprised, and somewhat pained, look that graced Malcolm's face.

"I can't do this," Oliver said softly, shaking his head, feeling like the world had tipped sideways and he was falling. Memories clawed at him, traces of his earlier nightmare rushing through his mind, and he knew if Malcolm touched him again he'd likely snap. "I'm sorry...but...but I can't do this."

"Oliver, you're my mate," Malcolm started to reach for him. "We can work this out. We can...We can get you help if...if you need it. I'm not letting you walk away just because..."

"Daddy?"

Oliver whirled around, his focus tearing away from his Alpha to focus on his daughter, who was standing at the top of the stairs, looking down with sleepy eyes. His heart hammered against his ribs. How long had she been standing there? How much had she heard and seen? He felt his stomach roll a bit as he stepped towards the stairs. "Hey, little bird," he said, forcing himself to smile as he climbed the steps, scooping Robbie into his arms. "You should still be in bed."

"Why did Mr Merlyn say you're his mate?"

Oliver blinked at bluntness from his daughter but really it shouldn't have been surprising. Robbie had the tendency to be blunt. She was a child. She didn't understand things like tact or that some things were just best ignored. But at least it let him know just how much she had overheard. He heard Malcolm move and glanced back to find the Alpha had come towards the stairs, giving a soft smile and no doubt trying to look as friendly as he could, especially since Robbie was giving him a look Oliver had seen her give things she didn't really like.

"Mr Merlyn said that, little bird," Oliver said, swallowing passed the sudden lump in his throat. "Because...Because that's what I am. I'm his mate."

He took her hand and placed it on the nape of his neck, where Malcolm's bite was, he watched her nose wrinkle a bit.

"You know an Alpha claims their Omega with a special bite, a Claiming bite. Well..." Oliver sighed and tried to smile at his daughter, trying to let her know that things were okay, that nothing was changing. "Well this bite is where Mr Merlyn Claimed me."

Robbie frowned. "When?"

Oliver knew what she was asking. Had Malcolm Claimed him before or after her Dad.

"A long time ago, little bird," he said as honestly as he could. "Back before you were born."

He saw the gears working in Robbie's mind, saw her adding things together, she was such a smart little thing. Her gaze, that deep blue, darted to Malcolm again and he could see she was searching for something, some sign that only she understood, before looking back at him.

"He's not like Dad," she said, sounding so certain that it made Oliver's smile widen a bit more. "He's too tall."

Oliver couldn't help but laugh before pressing a kiss to Robbie's temple, slowly turning to look down at Malcolm.

"I know you wanted to talk," he said to the Alpha, gaze and voice firm. "But...But I can't. Not right now."

"Oliver I..."

"Malcolm."

Both men turned, surprised by the sound of Moira's voice, though Oliver didn't fail to see the way Malcolm's gaze narrowed a bit, or the coldness in his mother's voice.

Moira approached slowly from the doorway that led to one of the sitting rooms, her gaze was fixed on Malcolm. "Tommy just called. Something about you sneaking out of the hospital against doctor's orders." She glanced briefly at Oliver, her gaze saying it all. She wanted him to take Robbie and go somewhere, anywhere, that wasn't there. "I told him there was a good chance you'd be here."

"Moira..."

"Oliver, sweetheart," Moira seemed to ignore Malcolm, which caused the Alpha's nostrils to flare. "Why don't you take Robbie to the park or maybe the mall, hmm? Spend the day with her. I'll see that Malcolm makes it back to the hospital."

Oliver nodded and took the opening his mother had given him even though he heard Malcolm say his name, trying to get him to stay. He turned and hurried back up the stairs, heading for Robbie's room in order to get her dressed, knowing he wasn't going to take her to a park or out shopping. He was going to get to the foundry and stay there for a while. At least until he was certain Malcolm was back in the hospital and then he'd figure out his next move.


	13. Chapter 13

Oliver sat in the foundry, watching as Robbie messed around with one of the training dummies, throwing little jabs and kicks and he smiled, knowing he'd soon be teaching her how to fight, how to defend herself. 

He knew Felicity, and even Diggle, would likely argue against it. Robbie was still so young. But he knew, from experience, that her being young wouldn't protect her. That there were people in the world who wouldn't care that she was just a little girl. They'd see her as a target. And he'd rather teach her to protect herself than see her become a victim.

Sitting there, watching his daughter, thoughts a whirlwind, bouncing from the thought of training her to Malcolm and the chaos that his Alpha was likely going to bring into his life and then came the thoughts of years ago, of his time on the Lian Yu, of an Alpha who, at one time, he would have happily Bonded to. Not just because it would have helped keep him alive but because he had genuinely come to care for the grumpy older man.

_He was sitting in the airplane, watching as Slade sharpened his sword, looking down at the swell of his abdomen._

_"Shouldn't I be bigger or something?" He frowned, hand rubbing over his baby bump. It had taken nearly two weeks for him to get over his denial and accept that he was pregnant. Two weeks of Slade snarking and snarling at him, trying to get him to accept things when he just wanted to bury his head in the sand. "I mean...I thought pregnant Omegas got really big or something."_

_Slade paused and looked up at him, frowning a bit, before shaking his head._

_"It's your first pup," he said as he continued tending to his weapon. "And we don't exactly have the finest healthcare or nutrition for you so you probably won't get overly big."_

_Oliver huffed and shook his head, letting his hand rest against his bump, looking down. Slade had estimated a while back that Oliver was probably around four, maybe five, months pregnant. He'd done the math from that and come to a conclusion, a ninety percent certain conclusion, about who the father of his pup was. He hadn't said anything aloud because he wasn't completely certain and he really didn't want to think about what it would mean if he wasn't right._

_He absently rubbed at the inside of his left knee, feeling, even through the fabric of his trousers, the mark there. The mark that, though scarred, no longer pulsed like it once hand. The Bond formed from it no longer felt. It had hurt. Worse than anything Wintergreen had done to him. He'd felt like he was dying. But seeing Slade kill the man, seeing his torturer die, even with the pain he'd felt at the time, had been worth it._

_"Kid."_

_Oliver blinked and looked up, finding Slade watching him, and he quickly moved his hand away from his knee._

_"Kid, if the pup's...Billy's...we'll lie." Slade's gaze, his tone, the very set of the Alpha's shoulders, told him that Slade was serious, deadly serious. "No pup should live knowing that bastard was their father."_

_Oliver blinked. Not only surprised by Slade's words but by the Alpha's knowledge concerning what Wintergreen had done. "How did you..."_

_"You weren't the first, kid. Probably wouldn't have been the last."_

_Oliver couldn't help but shudder. He'd known Wintergreen was a monster he just hadn't known how much of a monster._

_Slade sensed his sudden discomfort and set his sword aside before standing, crossing to where Oliver sat, lowering himself next to the younger man before reaching out and laying his hand on Oliver's abdomen, thumb sweeping over the swell, dark eyes completely unreadable. It had taken the last couple of months for Oliver to grow comfortable with Slade touching him but now part of him craved the touch. He knew, from his middle school health class, that it was instinctual. Something about Omega biology craving an Alpha, even if it wasn't their Bonded Alpha. But he also liked to think it was because he and Slade were, on some level at least, friends. That he trusted Slade. Not just some weird sense of biology._

_"Gonna be tricky," Slade said, thumb still sweeping gently back and forth. "Especially when you get close to birth."_

_Oliver drew a slow, deep breath, giving a small nod._

_"That's...That's going to be dangerous, isn't it? Giving birth here."_

_Slade nodded. "Not going to lie, kid, but yeah, it is. Not like we can pop over to the local hospital or find a doctor to deliver the pup."_

_Oliver swallowed around the lump in his throat. "Then how..."_

_"I've got some experience helping with delivering pups," Slade said with a shrug, as though it was no big deal. "My wife home birthed Joe and...well...after that nightmare I'm sure I can handle helping you through it."_

_"That's...That's really not as comforting as you probably thought it would be."_

_They both chuckled and Oliver couldn't help but lean into the Alpha. He was absolutely terrified about giving birth, especially without any help save for Slade, but given the alternative he would suck it up and deal with it. Drawing a deep breath he leaned, slightly, into the Alpha, seeking the comfort that the man was giving._

"Oliver!"

Oliver pulled from his thoughts and turned, watching as Felicity came down the stairs from the club, tablet in hand and Diggle right behind her. He could tell from their hurried pace and the look on Diggle's face that something was up. "What's going on," he asked as Robbie darted from the training area to try and sneak attack Diggle, who spotted her and caught her mid-leap, tucking her under his arm and carrying her over to where Oliver was sitting.

"Have you seen the news," Felicity asked as she hurried over to her computers, seating down and hurriedly booting things up.

"No." Oliver turned his chair, frowning. "Why?"

"Because Starling City is about to have a vicious little problem that's why."


	14. Chapter 14

The vicious problem that Felicity meant was Helena Bertenelli.

Helena returned to Starling, still seeking vengeance against her father, and Oliver helped her try to find her father only because she threatened the people he cared about. But when it became clear she was nothing but a murderer Oliver knew he couldn't help her. Couldn't save her. So he tried to stop her. In the process a cop, McKenna, someone Oliver knew and cared about, was shot, nearly killed. It reminded Oliver why, to fulfill his mission, he couldn't get close to people.

Not long after Helena left Starling again a vigilante, Joseph Falk, a Beta seeking justice for his murdered wife began targeting the people who he claimed had failed the Glades. When Falk targeted Roy, nearly killing the young man, Oliver, who understood the man's pain, understood how the loss of someone you loved could drive you to the brink, had no choice but to kill him.

When people began suffering the effects of Vertigo again Oliver investigated, learning the Count was still locked up, still suffering from the effects of his Vertigo overdose. When the Count supposedly escaped the hospital Oliver's investigation led him to the doctor treating the Count. A doctor who had reverse engineered Vertigo and added a dangerous compound that resulted in overdose and death. With Diggle's help, a quick shot of cure from one of his arrows, Oliver was able to take the doctor down. He could have done the same to the Count but it was clear the man's mind was warped and twisted from the Vertigo so Oliver let him go.

Unfortunately after dealing with the Vertigo problem Oliver was faced with one that hit a little closer to home.

Tommy.

His friend had grown cold and distant since learning his secret and Oliver knew it was only a matter of time before Tommy walked away for good.

He found Tommy in _Verdant_ and had to steel his nerves as he approached the Alpha.

"Tommy."

His friend, he wasn't certain if they were still friends, stilled and looked over at him.

"Oliver." His attention turned back to the papers scattered on the bar. "Not out sticking arrows in people?"

Oliver flinched despite himself.

"I needed to talk to you."

"About what?" Tommy's tone was cold and flat. "About you being a murderer or how you're Bonded to my father."

Oliver drew another deep breath and wished he had the words to make things better between them. "All of it."

Tommy snorted and shook his head. "There is nothing you could say that will change my mind about any of it." He flipped a folder shut and reached for another.

"What if...What if I showed you...how...why...I became what I am?"

Tommy stilled, his frown deepening, head slowly lifting as he looked at Oliver again.

"What?"

"You said before whatever happened to me on the island had messed me up, made me a killer," Oliver said as he shrugged out of his jacket, lying over the bar. "But you...you have no idea how right you were."

Before Tommy could say anything Oliver peeled his shirt over, baring himself for the first time to someone's gaze since Laurel. Tommy's eyes widened and his nostrils flared as he took in Oliver's body, the scars that covered his skin and he couldn't tell what the Alpha was thinking as he stood from the stool he was sitting on and slowly approached him, gaze darting from scar to scar, taking them in. He swallowed noticeably before meeting Oliver's gaze.

"How did...How did you survive...all of that?"

Oliver gave a tight smile. "I almost didn't."

Tommy stepped closer. "What...What are they all..."

Oliver glanced down at himself before reaching up, touching the oldest scar first.

"An arrow. The man who fired it...he saved my life. Several times." His hand moved, gesturing to a few other scars. "And these...well...I...I was tortured." He remembered the burning agony of the blade as it had opened his flesh. He went through a few of the other major scars. Bullets. Burns. Things that had happened on the island and off. "It doesn't excuse what I've done, what I've become," he said with a deep sigh. "But...But maybe it will help you see...why...how I can do it."

"You killed on the island, didn't you?"

Oliver nodded. "Yes."

"Why?"

Oliver gave a soft smile.

" _Shēngcún_."

Tommy blinked in confusion and Oliver elaborated.

"It means survive," he said as he remembered the day in the cave that Yao-Fei had taught him the word. "Life on the island...Tommy...it wasn't...there's no way to describe that sort of hell. It...It left a darkness...a darkness I'll never get out."

Tommy said nothing for a moment.

"Why...Why the vigilante thing? Why kill the scumbags of the city? How does what happened on...on that island tie into that?"

Oliver drew a deep breath before sighing.

"My father."

Tommy blinked. "Your father? What does he have to do with this?"

"Everything." Oliver pulled his shirt back on before gesturing towards the door that led downstairs. "I can show you."

Tommy followed him downstairs and when Oliver handed him his father's notebook, the one with his father's list, Tommy flipped through it silently before his eyes widened and he looked up at him. "Oliver, what...what is this?"

"When I came home I...I told everyone that my father died when the yacht went down." Oliver remembered that night, the wind and the rain, his father pulling him into the little life raft. "But that...that wasn't true." Tommy appeared shocked. "He...He survived for a few days but...but there wasn't enough food or...or water in the life raft. And he...he knew we both couldn't survive so he...he..."

He didn't need to actually say the words because Tommy's eyes said he understood.

"He told me...He told me he had failed the city," Oliver pressed on, looking at the book Tommy still held. "And before he...died...he told me to make it home. To right his wrongs. Every person on that list is corrupt and the city, the innocent people here, suffer because of them."

"You've killed people on this list."

"At first, yes," Oliver nodded. "But now...now the vigilante's reputation is enough to scare them into doing whatever I ask."

"You still kill though."

Oliver couldn't deny that so he simply nodded. Tommy laid the book of names on the table.

"I still don't know if I can accept this part of your life, Oliver."

"That's fine," Oliver said with a nod. "I just...you deserved to know."

Tommy nodded and turned and started to leave but stopped and looked back at him. "What about you and...and my dad? When did that..."

"It was an accident, Tommy."

Tommy didn't look convinced so Oliver knew he had to explain, to tell him the truth.

"I had a Heat, before going on the _Gambit_ and...and between that and the...the insane amount of alcohol I'd consumed I wasn't really clear who I'd fallen into bed with." He shook his head. "It was...It was only after...after I woke up, alone, and recognized the scent that I...I realized who I'd been with. The details of our...Bonding...are hazy. He never seemed to realize he'd Claimed me so...so I just carried on like we hadn't."

"And then he nearly died."

Oliver nodded. "The Bond...flared...grew too strong in that moment to be ignored or denied."

"He keeps talking about you." Tommy's tone said he didn't know what to make of that. "Keeps...Keeps saying he needs to convince you to accept him. To stay with him." Tommy glanced away for a moment. "Why won't you? I mean...he's your Alpha, no matter what any one says or does, and it's...it's not like it could make things worse between you and me."

"It's not about any of that." Oliver shook his head. "You've said it yourself, Tommy, I...I'm not good for people. I keep secrets, too many secrets, to ever...ever have any sort of relationship with...with anyone. It's better if I keep my distance."

Tommy stared at him for a long, tense moment. "You really care about him, don't you?"

"I..." Oliver wasn't certain how to answer that. He cared about Malcolm, yes, but he didn't understand the depths of it. Tommy seemed to take his hesitance as answer enough because he gave a slight nod before turning and once again heading for the stairs before stopping and turning back again.

"Just...Just answer me this, Oliver," he said as he gave Oliver a considering look. "Does Robbie belong to my father?"

"No."

There was no hesitation, no doubt, just a firmness that Oliver always used when answering questions about Robbie's father.

And yet he could tell from the look in Tommy's eyes that his friend doubted him.

But Tommy didn't press, didn't voice his doubt, instead he just nodded and turned away, walking back up the stairs to the club. Oliver watched him go before he sank into the nearest chair, head hung and hands clenched into fists where they rested against his knees. At least things had gone better than he'd expected.


	15. Chapter 15

Oliver had just left the club, sending a text to Felicity to let her know if she needed him he'd be at home, and had just reached his bike when he caught the scent.

Pausing he sighed.

"Malcolm."

He heard a soft huff of breath and turned, watching as Malcolm approached. The man was dressed casually, extremely casually, compared to how Oliver was used to seeing him. Dark jeans, boots, a white shirt and a dark leather jacket. Oliver couldn't remember if he'd ever seen Malcolm dressed like that. All he remembered the Alpha wearing was suits, always looking like the businessman, the man who would take on the world and win.

Malcolm stopped walking just a few feet from him.

"You've been avoiding me."

Oliver sighed. "I've..." He stopped, realizing that he couldn't think of a convincing enough lie. "I have."

"Oliver," Malcolm stepped a little closer, his scent washing over Oliver in a wave, and Oliver pretended a tremor didn't roll down his spine. "We need to talk."

"I don't think we..."

"As your Alpha, I'm saying we do."

Malcolm's tone was firm, solid and full of Alpha authority. It made the Bond flare, made Oliver's instincts demand he listen, obey, his Alpha. And he tried to fight it, he did, but in the end he found himself nodding and speaking but in a flat tone. "Fine. But not out here."

He led the way back into _Verdant_ and, once he was standing by the bar he turned, facing Malcolm. "Talk," he said, his tone still flat, watching Malcolm draw a little closer.

"I know you don't want to acknowledge our Bond," the Alpha said, voice calm and even, eyes soft as he regarded Oliver. "I know you want to pretend that there is nothing between us. But...But I can't do that, Oliver. I can't just...pretend that you're not my mate. I can't pretend you mean nothing to me."

"That's just the Bond," Oliver shook his head. "It doesn't..."

"It's not just the Bond, Oliver!"

Malcolm grabbed hold of his arm and Oliver reflexively tensed, a warning growl starting to bubble up from his chest but he fought it down, just like he fought down his instinct to lash out, to remove Malcolm's hand from him even thought the Alpha's grip was hardly tight, merely a way of getting Oliver's attention, of getting him to stop deflecting, trying to deny what there was between them.

"It's not the Bond," Malcolm said again, expression and eyes reflecting his belief in that, he stepped closer. "It's not. When you...When everyone thought you had died...Oliver...I felt..." Malcolm paused for a moment, drawing a shallow breath, a hint of pain entering his eyes. "I felt like I did the day the police told me of Rebecca's murder."

Oliver felt his heart leap into his throat.

"Malcolm..."

"I want to take care of you, Oliver," the Alpha said softly, thumb rubbing over the Omega's arm where he was still holding. "I want to protect you. You and Robbie. I want to make you happy. I want...I want to fall asleep at night with you in my arms and wake to see your face. I want to get to know you, the real you not...not the playboy image you seem intent on presenting to the world. I want to...to help you heal from whatever you suffered on that island."

Malcolm stepped closer, invading Oliver's space, making the Omega quiver.

"I want the chance to love you, Oliver. I want the chance to have you fall in love with me. I want...I just want you, Oliver. Just...you."

"Malcolm..."

Oliver let out a soft sound when Malcolm's mouth slotted over his.

Part of him, the part that had been trying to keep Malcolm at arms length, screamed that he needed to push the Alpha away, had to maintain the distance he'd put between them. He couldn't afford to let Malcolm in. Couldn't risk anything happening to the Alpha because of who, because of what, he was. But as Malcolm kissed him he found himself leaning into the older man, that voice in his head growing fainter and fainter until he could barely hear it over the sudden rushing need to feel his mate.

The feel of Malcolm's tongue, darting out to trace the seam of his lips with deliberate persuasion, made him groan faintly as he returned the fevered kiss eagerly, earning him an approving grunt from Malcolm as he opened his mouth and deepened their kiss, claiming the Omega's mouth for his own. There was so much emotion in the way Malcolm kissed him that Oliver couldn't help but want more. He sank his fingers into Malcolm's hair even as Malcolm's hands gripped his hips, steering him back against the bar, a thigh slipping between his legs, giving him something to rut his swelling cock against.  
When they finally parted, both men were panting heavily. Malcolm rested his forehead against Oliver's and breathed in the Omega's scent, it was nearly as overwhelming as his need to reconnect with his mate, his Omega, and he reached for the hem of Oliver's shirt, wanting, needing, to feel his mate beneath his hands without the barrier of clothing between them. Oliver stiffened but slowly shrugged out of his jacket, lifting his arms, letting Malcolm strip him of his shirt.

Looking down Malcolm marvelled at the sculpted muscle that was Oliver but he also felt a pang of guilt over every scar, ever mark that marred that otherwise flawless body.

Malcolm's fingers glided over Oliver's skin, feeling muscles jump and twitch beneath his touch, touching one scar and then the next. Oliver's face was unreadable but Malcolm suspected the young man took no pride in his scars. Oliver wasn't one of those people who would boast that their scars made them stronger, made them better. Oliver was one who would merely say his scars meant he had survived unimaginable suffering.

As Malcolm's fingers ghosted over a scar just below Oliver's collar bone, just below the tattoo that marked Oliver as a member of the Bratva, there was an interesting story there Malcolm knew, the Omega twitched and pulled back slightly and Malcolm paused, fingers slowly tracing the edges of the scar.

A bite mark.

An Alpha's claim.

It wasn't unheard of for an Omega to take more than one Alpha, or vice versa, but from Oliver's reaction Malcolm wondered if it his Omega had consented to that Bond.

And it wasn't the only one.

Oliver's skin bore an additional three bite marks.

One on his shoulder, one in the crook of his left arm and the last at the nape of his neck.

Oliver surprised him when the Omega took hold of his hand, sliding it around his neck so it rested over the bite on his nape.

"This one..." Oliver said softly, voice barely above a whisper, he could sense what Malcolm was thinking, what his Alpha wanted to know. "This one is yours."

Malcolm's fingers rubbed over the mark, trying to remember it, trying to remember the exact moment he had Claimed Oliver. But there were moments from their time together that were hazy, Oliver's Heat having driven out of their minds with lust and need. He swept his thumb over the edge of the mark and felt Oliver shiver, saw the way the Omega's eyes darkened, his scent filling with desire and Malcolm barely resisted the urge to growl in response.

"Oliver..."

Whatever Malcolm had been about to say was cut off by the sound of Oliver's phone going off. The Alpha growled, muttering that Oliver should just let it ring, but he stepped back as Oliver dug the phone from his pocket, the Omega frowning as he turned away to answer it.

"Hello?" He paused, listening. "Yes, this is Oliver Queen." Another pause, his frown deepening before disbelief flickered through his eyes. "She did what?" Oliver groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. "No, no, I understand. Yes, yes ma'am, no, I'll be there shortly."

Oliver ended the call and reached for his shirt.

"I got to go," he said as he pulled his shirt on. "Apparently Robbie got into a fight at school. Punched another kid in the face."

Malcolm nodded his understanding, remembering all the different times he'd been called to schools because of Tommy getting into fights.

"I can drive you," Malcolm offered as Oliver grabbed his jacket. "That way you won't have to worry about the possibility of having to take Robbie home on your bike."

Oliver wanted to argue, wanted to go back to putting distance between them, but he couldn't argue with Malcolm's reasoning. Sighing softly he nodded. "Alright," he said as he looked at Malcolm. "But this...this doesn't change anything, Malcolm. It can't."

Malcolm didn't say anything just nodded and led the way from the club out to the parking lot where his car was waiting.


	16. Chapter 16

It turned out that the fight Robbie had been involved in had started when an older student, a ten-year-old boy named David Elliot, had ripped the dog tags from Robbie's neck and proceeded to call her names. Before the nearest teacher could break things up Robbie used several of the moves that Oliver had taught her in recent weeks to bring Elliot down to her level before introducing his nose to her fist. Elliot's parents had been furious and Oliver knew Robbie was lucky to just get out of the mess with a week of suspension. Walking out of the school Oliver looked down at Robbie, who had tucked those old dog tags securely beneath her shirt the moment the principal had returned them to her.

"You realize I should ground you for what you did," he said and Robbie's nose wrinkled.

"What's that mean?"

"Means no friends, television, computer or game privileges. And no training. For a week."

Robbie sighed dejectedly and looked up at him. "Am I grounded?"

"Yup."

Robbie sighed again. "I'm sorry."

Oliver reached down, rubbing his hand over her shoulder, before ruffling her hair. "Family trait, little bird," he said as he led her towards Malcolm was waiting with the car. "I got into a number of fights when I was in school. Just remember that the things you do have consequences."

Robbie grinned a bit before she took notice of Malcolm in the car and the grin slipped from her face. "Are you and Mr Merlyn dating now? Like Aunt Thea and Roy?"

Oliver sighed. "It's...It's more complicated than that, little bird. We're Bonded, like your grandmother and Walter. It's...It's like being married."

Robbie's nose wrinkled a bit.

"Do I have to call him dad or...or anything?"

Oliver chuckled as he shook his head. "I think for now it's okay if you just want to call him Mr Merlyn."

Robbie nodded but said nothing else as Oliver opened the car door for her.

Malcolm turned in his seat and smiled at Robbie as she climbed into the backseat.

"Hello, Robbie," the Alpha said with a charming smile and Robbie murmured a soft hello as she set her backpack on the floorboard before buckling herself in. "I heard you got into a bit of a scuffle. Did you win?"

"Malcolm!" Oliver shot Malcolm a stern look even as Robbie giggled and nodded while Malcolm winked at her. When Oliver continued to glare Malcolm snorted.

"What?" The Alpha shook his head as he started the car, Oliver settling neatly in the passenger seat next to him. "Like your father never encouraged or praised you after a fight."

Oliver huffed and shook his head.

"Home, if you'd please, Jeeves," he snarked a bit, which had Malcolm grinning even as Robbie giggled. Oliver tossed his daughter a grin while trying not to feel as relaxed and comfortable with Malcolm as he did. As Malcolm drove them to the Queen Estate he reached over, taking hold of Oliver's hand and, probably most surprising to the both of them, Oliver didn't pull away. Instead he turned his hand over, lacing his fingers with his Alpha's.

Looking at Malcolm he saw the smile, the contentment, on the man's face.

Oliver couldn't ever remember seeing the Alpha look like that before.

It was a good look on the man.

He thought about Malcolm's words back at the club and his heart skip a beat or two.

It made him rethink, just a little bit, about opening up, about letting Malcolm in. He knew if he did it wouldn't be easy. There were things he couldn't risk telling Malcolm, parts of him he'd never be able to share, but maybe they could make it work. Maybe they could build something together. He smiled a little as he rubbed his thumb against the back of Malcolm's hand, causing his Alpha to glance briefly at him, and he smiled a little more, which made Malcolm's eyes sparkling.

Maybe things would work out between them after all.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Oliver was surprised when, instead of just dropping him and Robbie off at the house, Malcolm stuck around. Oliver knew it was part of the man's plan to convince him to give their Bond a chance but he couldn't deny that it was sort of nice. And watching as Malcolm helped Robbie with the week's worth of homework she had made him smile a bit. He was decent enough at helping her but school had never been his thing. He'd skated through because of his name and his family's money. As Malcolm explained to Robbie how to work out a math problem it reminded Oliver of his father, trying to teach him like that when he'd been about Robbie's age.

Malcolm caught him staring and glanced up, smiling slightly when he realized that Oliver was smiling.

When Raisa stepped into the room, asking if Robbie wanted to help her make cookies it was like a little tornado took off out of the room with the housekeeper. Oliver laughed as he watched his daughter disappear from the room. "And that," he said as he picked up the pen that had rolled off the coffee table when Robbie had bolted. "Is what happens when you suggest sugar and chocolate to a five-year-old."

Malcolm chuckled as he neatly stacked Robbie's homework.

"I imagine you weren't much different at her age."

"Are you kidding me? I'm still no different. Just better at hiding it."

Malcolm laughed and Oliver bumped his shoulder against the older man's, grinning, and had just started to move away when Malcolm reached up, cupping his chin and drawing him into a kiss that went from innocent to passionate within a heartbeat. Oliver groaned as Malcolm's tongue snaked into his mouth, tangling with his own, the Alpha growling faintly into the kiss. Before Oliver's mind could catch up to his actions he was crawling into Malcolm's lap, straddling the man's thighs as he sank his fingers into the Alpha's, his Alpha's, hair.

Malcolm rumbled, the sound, full of raw Alpha power, reverberating through his chest and Oliver quivered and let out a soft whine in response.

Oliver rutted down against his Alpha and groaned when one of Malcolm's hands worked its way under his shirt, fingers warm as they glided over his skin. He twitched and arched, pressing into Malcolm's touch, wanting more, needing more, and he had just reached for the hem of Malcolm's shirt when he was quickly brought back to where exactly they were and why it wasn't the best idea to be making out with his Alpha in the sitting room of his family home.

_"OH MY GOD!"_

Oliver jerked back, barely registering Malcolm's snarl at the interruption, head turning to find Thea in the doorway, her eyes wide and the look of shock on her face was enough that he was scrambling away from Malcolm.

"Thea...I...I can explain..." he stumbled to his feet but Thea was shaking her head even as she whirled around.

"I don't want to know!" She threw over her shoulder. "I don't want to know why my brother was making out with...with...uggh..." She shook her head again. "I _don't_ want to know, Ollie!"

"Thea..."

She took off before Oliver could say anything more.

He groaned and ran his hand over his face, jumping a bit when Malcolm unexpectedly touched his arm. He turned and wasn't surprised when Malcolm rubbed a hand over his back soothingly.

"Give her some time, Oliver," Malcolm said as he stepped a little closer. "This...It's a lot for our families to take in."

Oliver thought of Tommy then. How his friend hadn't freaked out or seemed too bothered by the fact that his best friend, or whatever they were now, was Bonded to his father. Part of him reasoned that Tommy was probably still in shock over it, that eventually the younger Merlyn would snap out of it and this would go from bad to total shit storm. Something, some hint of his thoughts, must have shown on his face because Malcolm quickly pulled him into an embrace, one he quickly returned.

"It's just going to take time, Oliver," Malcolm said as he nuzzled at Oliver's neck.

Oliver leaned into his Alpha, closed his eyes, for a moment letting himself just bask in the comfort his Alpha was giving. He all but purred in contentment and would have been happy to stay there, just like that, but Robbie's voice, loud and clear as a bell, sounded from somewhere beyond the room.

"Daddy! Daddy, you got to come help me lick the spoon!"

Oliver chuckled even as he felt Malcolm smile against his neck.

"You shouldn't keep her waiting," Malcolm said, still smiling, lifting his head to meet Oliver's gaze.

"I know."

Malcolm pressed a chaste kiss to Oliver's lip and Oliver responded by nibbling on the Alpha's lower lip. They traded a few more kisses before Robbie was shouting once again for Oliver. The Omega groaned softly as he stepped away from his Alpha. Before he got too far Malcolm caught his hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Let me take you to dinner tonight," Malcolm said with a soft smile.

"Malcolm..."

"Please, Oliver? It's just dinner. I'm not...I don't expect anything more than for us to share a meal together."

Oliver thought about that for a moment before he found himself nodding. "Alright."

Malcolm's smile grew. "I'll pick you up at seven."

Oliver chuckled, remember a time when that would have been his line on some pretty young thing, before he nodded. He watched Malcolm leave before heading for the kitchen, hearing Robbie's laugh, happy and loud, and it had him smiling.


	17. Chapter 17

Oliver was waiting for Malcolm that evening in the entryway, he kept tugging at his sleeves, at his tie, and smoothing none existent wrinkles from his suit. He couldn't understand why he suddenly felt nervous. It was dinner. Just dinner. With Malcolm. His Alpha. He was just straightening his tie, again, when his mother walked in. She paused long enough to take in his appearance before she sighed softly and walked over, stilling his hands.

"You look fine, sweetheart," she said as she brushed a bit of lint from his shoulder. "You could probably wear a t-shirt and jeans and Malcolm wouldn't care."

Oliver blinked. "How did..."

"I'm your mother," she replied with a smile. "And Thea might have been eavesdropping and came to me for advice on how to talk you out of going on a date with Malcolm."

Oliver sighed. "Mom..."

"I know you think you know him, but Oliver...Oliver you have no idea who Malcolm really is."

Oliver frowned a bit. "Then tell me. If you're so worried about me being with Malcolm just...just tell me why."

Moira regarded him for a moment and had just opened her mouth to speak when the doorbell rang. Her gaze narrowed a bit but she said nothing as Oliver went to answer the door. A smile spread across his face as he opened the door to find Malcolm waiting for him in a crisp dark suit, his Alpha smiling brightly.

"Oliver," Malcolm said warmly. "Are you ready?"

Oliver gave a small grin and nodded, glancing briefly to his mother, who was giving Malcolm an unreadable look but, despite his curiosity concerning her reasons why he shouldn't get involved with the man, he said nothing to her merely let Malcolm lead him out of the house and to the waiting car.

The ride to the restaurant passed quickly and, as they entered the restaurant, Oliver was keenly aware of gazes following them.

It might have had something to do with who they were but Oliver was willing to bet that it had more to do with the fact that Malcolm's arm was around his waist, guiding him, the Alpha's posture saying it all. _Mine._ It made Oliver grin even though he knew that, by morning, it would be all over every tabloid and newspaper in the city. The world would speculate, would gossip, and they would never get any of it right.

They were seated at one of the best tables in the place, Oliver suspected that was Malcolm's doing, and the waiter immediately brought them a rather pricey bottle of vintage French wine. They browsed the menus for a moment or so before ordering and, while they waited for the food, Malcolm reached across the table, taking Oliver's hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the back of Oliver's hand. Oliver smiled and, in a move that took them both by surprise, he lifted the Alpha's hand and brushed a quick kiss the back of his knuckles.

Malcolm's nostrils flared, eyes darkening in reaction, and the quiet rumble that echoed from the Alpha's chest drew a little more attention than Oliver would have liked but part of him felt a surge of pride that he'd caused Malcolm to loose even just a bit of his control.

For a moment Oliver was tempted to push a little more, see how much further he could push Malcolm's control, but he had no choice but to lean back, to let go of the Alpha's hand as the waiter returned with their food.

Dinner was a mostly quiet affair, with the occasional small talk about the food or the wine, and Oliver had just wiped a bit of sauce from the corner of his mouth when Malcolm said the last thing he'd been expecting the Alpha to say.

"Perhaps next time we can go somewhere more family oriented," the Alpha smiled as he spoke. "Someplace that Robbie would enjoy."

Oliver blinked and the shock must have been written all over his face because Malcolm suddenly gave him a gentle look.

"I...I'm sorry if that's not what you want," the Alpha said, dapping at his mouth with his napkin. "I just...you're my Omega and, well, Robbie is your daughter. I felt it only fair that she be included as we try to build...whatever it is we're building between us."

"Malcolm..."

"I know I hardly seem like a fitting father figure," Malcolm said, giving a soft smile, reaching across the table to touch Oliver's arm. "My relationship with Tommy is certainly proof of that but I don't want you to think that I see your little girl as a second chance at fatherhood, because I don't, I just...you're an important part of life now, Oliver, and I don't want Robbie to feel left out or unwanted simply because she isn't mine."

Oliver blinked in surprise again and when he said nothing for a long moment Malcolm gave his arm a gentle squeeze.

"Oliver, if...if I'm overstepping I apologize, I just wanted you to know how I felt so that..."

Oliver took the Alpha by surprise when he leaned across the table and kissed him.

It was a quick kiss, but full of promise, of the hint of deeper promises, and as Oliver sat back he saw the desire in Malcolm's eyes, could smell it in the air around the Alpha and before he could say anything about maybe skipping desert Malcolm was signalling the waiter for the cheque. Everything after that until they were in the back of Malcolm's car was a bit of a blur because the next clear thing that Oliver could recall was crawling into Malcolm's lap, fingers sinking into the Alpha's hair as their mouths slotted together.

Oliver rutted against Malcolm, groaning into the kiss as the Alpha's hands settled on his ass, squeezing through the fabric of his trousers.

Breaking the kiss Malcolm began to mouth at the line of Oliver's jaw, his neck, anywhere he could reach before lifting his head, eyes nearly black, pupils blown wide with desire.

"Oliver," the Alpha panted, drawing Oliver closer, fingers flexing. "Oliver...come home with me. Come home with me. Please?"

A small part of Oliver tried to protest, tried to remind him why that was a bad idea, but that part was easily overshadowed by the need, the want, to be with his Alpha. After so long, after all the other Alphas, he just wanted to reconnect to the man who had first Bonded him. He wanted to reconnect to his Alpha. Letting out a soft whimpering sound he pressed his forehead to Malcolm's, meeting his Alpha's gaze.

"Yes," he breathed, lips ghosting over Malcolm's. "Yes."

Malcolm growled and crushed their mouths together again, the kiss fierce and demanding.

There was another blur of time as they traded deep kiss after deep kiss and, between what felt like one heartbeat and the next, they were stumbling through Malcolm's home, pulling and tugging at clothes, stripping one another as they haphazardly made their way to Malcolm's bedroom. Once there Malcolm pushed Oliver down onto the bed, slowly crawling after him.

Malcolm leaned down, capturing Oliver's mouth again, the kiss all carnal desperation, lips and teeth and tongue, and Oliver returned it in kind, letting his mind be ripped away by his Alpha's tongue in his mouth.

With a muffled moan, Oliver arched up against his Alpha, pressing their bare chests together as he surrendered to Malcolm's skilful tongue. The hungry way the man nibbled at his lips and stroked inside of his mouth with his tongue left the Omega's head reeling and his body burning. His heart hammered wildly inside his chest, knocking against his sternum as it pumped all the blood in his body straight to his groin. His dick hardened instantly, swelling and lengthening where it lay trapped between their heated bodies.

Malcolm broke the kiss, trailing his lips and tongue down Oliver's neck, over his collarbones, and continued down his chest, leaving a trail of liquid heat in their wake. Oliver writhed and shivered, panted and moaned as his fingers tangled in Malcolm's hair as the Alpha kissed every scar on his torso. As the Alpha continued his downward descent Oliver lifted his head, watching his Alpha with hooded eyes, panting for breath as Malcolm glanced up at him with those stunning blue eyes.

Oliver groaned as Malcolm's mouth wrapped around his cock, tongue and lips teasing him and his mind swam with pleasure as his hips humped upwards, trying to push deeper into that moist heat.

"Goddamn it, Malcolm!"

Oliver felt more than saw Malcolm's lips stretch into a grin around his pulsing cock.

With a feral snarl he fisted his hands in his lover’s hair again and pumped his hips, fucking his Alpha's mouth roughly. Malcom moaned loudly, sending faint vibrations coursing along the length of Oliver's dick. His lips clamped down hard, even as his throat muscles relaxed, and he held perfectly still, allowing Oliver to take what he wanted without reservations.

"Fuck...yes, oh...oh Mal...Mal... _fuck_..."

A slicked finger pressed against his hole and Oliver whined as he threw his head back, eyes squeezing shut as Malcolm's fingers slid, slowly, carefully, into him. He didn't know where the lube had come from and in that moment he couldn't care, just so long as Malcolm kept doing it. Planting his feet beside his ass, he surged in and out of the warm, wet cavern of his Alpha's mouth and rode the finger that pumped into his hole. The sting of pain when Malcolm inserted two more fingers only drove his lust higher, and he bucked up into his Alpha's mouth as his head whipped back and forth on the bed.

Then everything stopped.

Malcolm popped off his dick with a completely filthy slurp, extracting his fingers from Oliver's clenching channel, and rose up to kneel on the mattress. Without a word, though there was definitely some panting and growling, the Alpha positioned the crown of his cock at Oliver's entrance and shoved forward, sheathing himself to the base in one powerful thrust.

Malcolm didn't give Oliver a chance to adjust.

The Alpha set a punishing pace. Not that Oliver would complain. Lifting his shaking legs to wind around Malcolm's hips, Oliver forced his body to move, meeting every punishing lunge. Harder and faster, his Alpha drove into his body while a possessive growl rumbled in his chest.

"Malcolm!" Oliver all but screamed when Malcolm shifted, the head of the Alpha's cock nailing his prostate, setting fire works off in his mind as his pleasure increased. "Fuck, Malcolm...please...please I need..."

Malcolm growled. 

"I know what you need," the Alpha rumbled as he reached between them, hand palming Oliver's cock before strong fingers wrapped around the hard length, beginning to stroke him in time with his near brutal thrusts.

Oliver cried out, head thrown back, lost in the pleasure his Alpha was giving him.

Malcolm growled again, watching his mate, his beautiful angel of an Omega, writhe beneath him, pushing back to meet Malcolm's thrusts and bucking up to push his cock through Malcolm's fist. There was no word but beautiful to describe Oliver. Staring down at him Malcolm wondered how he'd gone five years without realizing the younger man was his. It was something that, when they no longer were seeking pleasure, he would need to discuss with Oliver but for now his only focus was on giving his Omega as much pleasure as he could.

"Malcolm..." Oliver panted as he reached up, wrapping his arms around Malcolm's neck, using his grip to draw the Alpha down to him, pressing kiss after kiss to the older man's lips. "Malcolm...I'm...I'm going to..."

Malcolm growled again, his hips snapping harder, hand moving faster over Oliver's cock.

"Do it," the Alpha rumbled, lips ghosting over Oliver's. "Come for me, Oliver. Now."

Oliver came before he even knew what was happening, as if he followed his Alpha's order, pumping into Malcolm's fist with a guttural cry.

Malcolm shuddered and his teeth scraped over Oliver's shoulder as his Omega's body clenched and fluttered around him. He gave another dozen or so of those brutal thrusts before his movements became shaky, the building pleasure finally reaching its inevitable peak and, like a wave breaking against the shore, he came, roaring as he spilled hotly, deeply, within his Omega's willing body.

Oliver shivered as Malcolm's cock pulsed inside him, filling him up, and his fingers and toes curled up with pleasure.

Eyes closed, Oliver himself float for a little while, in the silence and the warmth of that orgasm, sighing, settling, Malcolm draped on top of him, breathing just as heavily as he was.

For a few minutes life was perfect.

When Malcolm finally moved, softened cock slipping slowly, carefully from Oliver, the younger man wasn't fully prepared for the Alpha to curl next to him, wrapping him up in a warm embrace, drawing him close and nuzzling at his neck almost lazily. With a soft huff of breath Oliver couldn't help but snuggle closer, breathing in Malcolm's scent, basking in the warmth of his Alpha. Beneath his ear he could hear the slowing, steady beat of Malcolm's heart and, as the Alpha began running fingers gently over the back of his head and neck, it wasn't long before he was lulled to sleep.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Malcolm watched, smiling faintly, as Oliver slowly dozed off, the Omega looking younger, more innocent, in his sleep.

Pressing a soft kiss to Oliver's forehead he carefully rose, taking care not to wake his mate, fetching a damp clothe from the adjoining bathroom, carefully tending to his Omega before sliding back into bed, Oliver snuggling against him instinctively.

Malcolm studied his sleeping mate.

Studied the scars, the tattoos, and the bite marks.

The three he'd seen earlier in the day didn't surprise him but the one on the inside of Oliver's leg, just above the Omega's knee, did. It wasn't smooth like the others. It wasn't neat. It was jagged and looked like it had hurt. Badly. Like the Alpha who'd given it had taken pleasure, a great deal of pleasure, in inflicting as much pain while Bonding Oliver as they could.

He barely kept from growling at the thought of another Alpha touching, Bonding, his mate.

Drawing a deep breath he pushed thoughts of the other Alphas from his mind, focusing only on Oliver, on his beautiful mate.

Naturally he began thinking of his Undertaking.

Oliver gave him reason to hope, to dream, of a better future. A life beyond his years old grief and rage. He smiled as he pictured Oliver and himself, living together, raising Robbie together, and possibly having a child together. Another little girl with thick dark hair or a son with Oliver's dazzling smile. He thought, perhaps, that he could have that without going through with his Undertaking. That maybe Rebecca would forgive him not avenging her if he honoured her instead by simply living. By moving on like Robert had always tried to convince him to do.

But then his mind, his often traitorous mind, conjured up much darker images.

Images of Oliver, attacked, mutilated by some Glades thug as he left _Verdant_.

Images of Robbie, older, a teenager, in the Glades because her father's club was there, shot and left to die, slowly, painfully in the street.

Like Rebecca had been.

His heart began to beat faster as he heard a voice, the imaginary voice of a teenage Robbie, crying for him, Rebecca's dying words becoming hers.

_"Malcolm...Dad...please, I'm in trouble..." She gasped, in obvious pain. "He shot me...I...I screamed for help but...but no one came...God...Dad...Dad, please...please I don't want to...die...please Dad..."_

Malcolm blinked and quickly forced the words, the images, away.

Unable to handle it.

He hugged Oliver closer and rested his cheek against the stubble of his mate's hair.

No. He couldn't stop the Undertaking. It was the only thing that would ensure the safety of the family he sought to build with his mate. It was the only way to save the city, to make it better. He would not risk Oliver or Robbie dying in that hellhole as Rebecca had. 

The Undertaking would continue as planned and, not only would his wife be avenged, his mate and child would be kept safe.

No matter what.


	18. Chapter 18

Moira sat in the sitting room, holding a half empty glass of scotch, her gaze not truly focused on anything, mind a tangle of thoughts.

She shouldn't have let Oliver leave with Malcolm.

She should have put a stop to everything the moment she learned that Malcolm had Bonded with her son.

She didn't want to see Oliver hurt by the Alpha and, though she imagined Malcolm truly only wanted the best for Oliver, she knew that given what Malcolm was planning to do would drive a wedge between the two men and that Oliver, so changed by his years away, would never agree to, or stand for, Malcolm's Undertaking.

And then there was the fact that Oliver's club was in the Glades.

What if he was there? When Malcolm's began the Undertaking? What would happen to her son?

She wouldn't survive burying him a second time.

Setting her glass down Moira stood, crossing to the windows and looking out at the darkened yard and, though she couldn't see it, she looked to where Robert's tombstone stood, where Oliver's had stood. She had sworn on Robert's grave, his memory, when Oliver was found, when he came home, that she would protect their boy. That she wouldn't let Malcolm's need for vengeance take her son as it had taken her husband. Only now she stood a higher chance of losing her son, not because Malcolm believed him to be some crazy vigilante, but because of the rage still burning like a wildfire in the Alpha.

She could always tell Oliver the truth but that came with its own risks.

Oliver could blame and hate her. She was as much a part of the Undertaking as Malcolm. Or he could confront his Alpha and, in the fight that would surely follow that confrontation, be seriously harmed or even killed. Bonded or not Moira did not believe Malcolm would just allow Oliver to walk away if her boy knew the truth and was against the plan.

And what about Robbie? What would happen to her beautiful granddaughter if some horrible fate befell Oliver?

Moira was at a loss as to how best to protect her son without leading him into further peril.

"Oh Robert," she whispered, still looking to where that lonely tombstone stood, blinking back tears. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry but...but I don't know how to protect our boy."

She closed her eyes and covered her mouth to hold back the sob.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

_He was running through the trees, trying to get away, trying to get as much distance between himself and the one chasing him as he could. It was useless. He knew it was useless. But he kept running._

_He leapt over a fallen tree and had just ducked a low hanging branch when he was tackled from his left. He let out a cry of pain and fear as he and his attacker went rolling through the dirt and the leaves. He tried to fight, tried to use all of the meagre training he had to his advantage, but it was useless. Just like he knew it would be. Nothing he did now would save him._

_A face, as familiar to him as his own, swam into his blurry vision and he whimpered as a hand closed, brutally tight, around his throat. "Did you think you could escape that easily," a dark voice growled as those cold eyes, once warm and kind, glared down at him. "Kid."_

Oliver bolted upright in the bed, barely aware that doing so flung Malcolm sideways and across the mattress. His heart hammered against his ribs, his eyes breathing was rapid, broken, and he hurriedly looked around, the lingering nightmare clawing at him, the memory it had been born of nearly choking him.

When a hand touched his shoulder he reacted without thought.

He moved, grabbing at the hand, the wrist, and twisted even as he rolled.

He heard the grunt and then the pained groan.

"Ol...Oliver..."

Malcolm's voice cut through the haze of panic, the lingering fear the nightmare had clogged his veins with and Oliver quickly released his punishing grip, scrambling away from Malcolm as far as the bed would allow, watching the Alpha roll into a sitting position, rubbing his wrist, all while looking at Oliver.

The dark of the room made it difficult to see Malcolm's features but his body language was enough to tell Oliver that Alpha wasn't angry, wasn't upset.

"I'm sorry," he said instinctively, clenching his hands into fists to stop them from shaking. "I...I should have warned you...about...about..."

"It's okay, Oliver."

"No. It's not." Oliver shook his head. "This...This isn't the first time this has happened."

Malcolm moved closer but stopped when Oliver inched back. The Alpha let out a soft sound, something meant to be comforting since it was clear Oliver wasn't ready to let him near enough to touch.

"After all you've been through," Malcolm said softly. "I'd be surprised if you didn't have nightmares. And I'd also be very worried." The Alpha shuffled a little closer and though Oliver tensed he didn't move away again. "You suffered...unimaginable things, unimaginable darkness, and I cannot begin to even fathom how you survived but...but I know to do so you had to let part of that same darkness in and...and I also know that darkness never comes out. You just learn to...to carry it."

Malcolm reached out, gently cupping Oliver's cheek, pretending the Omega hadn't flinched slightly at his touch.

"But, Oliver, you don't have to carry it alone. Not anymore."

"Malcolm..."

Malcolm leaned forward and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to Oliver's lips.

"I'm not asking you tell me everything now," the Alpha said, still speaking softly, gently. "Just...Just let me in, a little, then...then you'll see that I can help you carry this...this weight you brought home with you."

Oliver drew a deep breath. He couldn't tell Malcolm everything. Because telling him everything would let the Alpha see how damaged he really was. Malcolm would see a broken Omega who was trying to save a city that, it seemed, didn't want to be saved. He suddenly realized that this, that being with Malcolm, with anyone, would never work. Because he could never let them in. Could never trust them with everything he was. He was going to have to distance himself from Malcolm.

And it broke his heart because part of him had hoped that he could have something, some piece, of a normal life with his Alpha.

Drawing another deep breath he reached up, taking Malcolm's hand in his and lowering it, pressing his Alpha's fingers to the faded bite mark on his leg. He might have to distance himself from the man but he could trust him with something first. As Malcolm's fingers instinctively ran over the mark Oliver pushed his emotions, his memories, down in order to speak.

"His name was Wintergreen." Oliver saw Malcolm's eyes widen, just a fraction, clearly his actions hadn't been what Malcolm had expected. "And...And for nearly six months...he...he tortured me." Oliver could feel the phantom glide of Wintergreen's blade as it pierced his skin. "He...He forced the Bond because...because the man he worked for promised that...that when the job was over he could have me."

"Oliver..."

"I watched...I watched him die and I...I felt it." He drew a shaky breath. "And it felt...it felt like someone or...something...was trying to tear me apart from the inside." He blinked and looked at Malcolm. "I hated him...was afraid of him...but...but feeling that..." He shook his head. "It was worse than anything he ever did to me."

"Oliver," Malcolm's thumb brushed over the old bite, amazed that Oliver had survived the death of the other Alpha. He'd seen Omegas driven nearly mad at the death of their Alpha and even though Oliver hadn't wanted the Bond the sudden, drastic loss of it had left a scar just the same as the bite had. "You're stronger than even I thought." He gave a faint smile, leaning in to kiss the Omega but Oliver drew back and his smile immediately fell. "Oliver?"

"I thought..." Oliver shook his head. "I thought I could make this work. Thought I could just move on...forget everything...but I...I can't, Malcolm."

Malcolm's heart dropped into his stomach as he realized what Oliver was doing. What he had hoped to prevent by showing Oliver how much he cared, how much he wanted things to work between them.

"Oliver, don't..."

"I'm sorry." Oliver drew away and climbed from the bed before Malcolm could stop him. "But I can't...I can't be with you. Not now."

"Oliver..."

"I'm not good for you, Malcolm, not...not when I'm this damaged."

"You're not," Malcolm shook his head and scrambled to his feet, refusing to let Oliver go without a fight. "You're not damaged. You have scars and a past that I will likely never fully understand but Oliver...we can get through this. Together."

"And then what?" Oliver snarled, knowing the only way he was going to get Malcolm to let him go was to hurt the Alpha, to make the Alpha think he was still just a stupid, reckless kid who didn't want anything more than a quick roll in the sack. "You think we're going to be the happily mated pair like in the romance novels? You think I want to play house, to play the obedient Omega, with a man old enough to be my father?! You think I want pups with a man who, when they're grown, will look more like they're grandfather than their father?!"

Malcolm's gaze narrowed slightly but the Alpha knew what Oliver was doing. But that didn't mean the Omega's words didn't sting like the bite of a sword.

"You don't mean any of that," the Alpha growled faintly, hands clenching tightly at his sides. "You're just scared. You're trying to run, like you did with Laurel, but I'm not going to be so easy to push away, Oliver. I'm your Alpha and I..."

"And you what?!" Oliver stepped forward getting right in Malcolm's face, glaring at his Alpha, wishing the man would just let him go. Wishing he didn't have to resort to the tactic he was about to. "Are you going to lock me up in a room, Malcolm? Keep me chained up at home like some slave you own?! Maybe you'll lock me up in a cage like Wintergreen did! Force me to be your little bitch and do whatever you want just because you think you're better than me because you're an Alpha!"

Malcolm's eyes widened at the fury, the venom, in Oliver's voice. He could barely believe what the Omega was saying, accusing him of, but in that moment he realized just how badly this Wintergreen had broken Oliver. How deeply into his skin the disgusting Alpha had pushed the darkness, the sickness.

"Oliver..." He started to reach out but Oliver snarled and stepped back.

"I'm done, Malcolm." The Omega's body was tense and Malcolm knew he wouldn't win this fight. "I can't be what you want, what you need, and I won't be put in another cage."

"I would never..."

"A gilded cage is still a cage."

Malcolm's jaw clenched as he watched Oliver turn.

"I can find my own way home," the Omega threw over his shoulder, snatching up the few clothes of his that lay on the floor, knowing the rest were likely scattered through the hallway leading to the stairs.

"Oliver..."

Oliver didn't stop, didn't hesitate, merely left, the bedroom closing behind him with a loud click.

Malcolm stood there, stunned, uncertain for the first time in a long time about what to do.

How had things gone so wrong so quickly?


	19. Chapter 19

Oliver managed, somehow, to avoid Malcolm, to keep that cold, painful distance between them.

It hurt, more than he would ever admit, but it was for the best.

For Malcolm's safety it was necessary.

He knew it surprised everyone, especially his mother and Thea, but they thankfully had nothing to say on the matter beyond Thea's muttering of being grateful he'd finally come to his senses. But then there was Robbie. Robbie who asked, questioned, the sudden absence of the Alpha, especially since, young or not, she had an understanding that the Bond was something very important.

When he explained to her that it was safer for Malcolm to not be part of their lives yet Robbie had given him this little dubious look that she had clearly picked up from spending too much time with Felicity but, despite her obvious doubt in his words, had accepted it. And life continued as it had been.

When a paid killer arose in Starling, targeting the Moore family, who had lost their entire lifesavings with a financier named Edward Rasmus and were trying to recover what they had lost in court. Unfortunately Eric Moore and his wife, Nancy, were killed, leaving their seven-year-old son, Taylor, alone in and a target. Laurel, who had been handling the case, took Taylor in to protect him and, when the assassin attacked her, Taylor and Tommy it became clear her apartment was not a secure enough location, Tommy suggested the Queen Estate. Laurel had hesitated at first, not wanting to put anyone, least of all Oliver's daughter, in danger but she agreed.

When she and Tommy arrived with Taylor Oliver was waiting with his mother. After Diggle explained about the security detail that would be protecting them and Moira took Taylor off to the kitchen to get some cookies, Laurel following a few minutes later, Oliver went to leave but Tommy stopped him, growling that Oliver was the reason he had convinced Laurel to stay at the Queen Estate in the first place. That Oliver, the vigilante, was better protection than the bodyguards. Oliver reasoned that they would be fine and that he'd be back as soon as he could.

Tommy watched Oliver go and ground his teeth together to keep from snarling at his friend. He turned and prowled off through the house, finding Laurel and Moira talking quietly in the sitting room, Taylor tucked up on one of the sofas, a plate of cookies on the coffee table in front of him, as well as a glass of milk. When Laurel looked at him he gave a reassuring smile and, setting his bag down, went to join her.

He had just sat down when Robbie came in through the far door, dragging a tub full of toys with her. She left the toys on the floor and walked over to where Taylor was sitting. She gave a small smile as she extended her hand. "I'm Robbie," she said.

Taylor didn't smile but he politely shook her hand. "I'm Taylor," he replied softly and Robbie smile grew a bit.

"You want to play?"

Taylor's eyes darted to the tub of toys and back to Robbie. "Got any Lego?"

Robbie nodded and Taylor stood, still holding her hand, and they made their way over to the tub. The two played for quite a while, building things with the Lego, playing with the toy dinosaurs Tommy remembered buying for Robbie, and then they were drawing on large pads of paper. While Taylor drew a large field with a dog and a boy Robbie drew what looked like a field and a plane and three people. Taylor looked at her drawing as she gave one of the figures shoulder length yellow hair.

"Is that your mom," Taylor asked softly and, across the room, the three adults stilled in surprise and watched the scene before.

Robbie, laying on her front, paused and looked at Taylor before shaking her head. "That's my Daddy," she pointed at the blonde figure. "He used to have long hair but he cut it all off before we came to Starling." She pointed to the other figure, shorter than the blonde but taller than the third figure. "And that's my Dad."

Laurel's eyes widened, Tommy choked slightly on his coffee and Moira inhaled a little sharper than she'd meant to but the children took no notice of anything strange.

Taylor looked at the rest of Robbie's picture. "Did you all go on a plane ride? I did one time. We went to Australia to visit my grandparents."

Robbie shook her head. "That's where we lived."

Taylor's nose wrinkled in confusion. "You lived in a plane?"

Robbie nodded. "Yup."

"Why?"

"Because there were no houses on the island."

Taylor's eyes got a little wide. "You lived on an island," he asked in awe.

Again Robbie nodded. "Yeah but...but I'm not supposed to talk about it."

Again Taylor's nose wrinkled. "Why?"

"Because...Because bad things happened there and it makes Daddy sad."

"What about your other dad? Does it make him sad too?"

"No." Robbie shook her head. "My Dad died. A long time ago."

Taylor gently touched Robbie's shoulder. "My mom and dad died too," he admitted softly, eyes full of sorrow and shimmering with unshed tears. "A bad man killed them."

Robbie leaned in close to Taylor, her shoulder pressed against his, and she pulled her dog tags from beneath her shirt. "These were my Dad's," she said as she slipped the chain off, sitting up, surprising the adults when she carefully slid the chain over Taylor's head. "I wear them because they make me feel strong and safe. You can wear them 'til they catch the bad man. Maybe they'll make you feel strong and safe too."

Laurel had to cover her mouth and bite her lip to keep from making any sort of sound as she watched Taylor hug Robbie before the pair went back to coloring. Beside her she saw Tommy turn his head, the look on his face reflecting his emotions, and she reached over to take his hand, giving him a soft smile.

"I can't believe she did that," Moira said softly, though she was smiling.

"Did what?" Laurel looked at the matriarch of the Queen family.

"Gave Taylor those tags." Moira looked away from the children, meeting Laurel's gaze. "I don't think I've ever seen her take them off."

"They were her father's," Tommy said softly, looking at Robbie, trying to seem some hint of someone other than Oliver in the little girl. "Has she or Oliver ever said who that is?"

Moira shook her head. "Oliver has...well...he's made it very clear that that is not a topic for discussion. And Robbie...she follows his lead in most things."

Laurel looked at the children. "I'm just glad Taylor has someone right now he can open up to, someone more his own age." She smiled. "I think he needs that most of all right now. A friend his own age."

Tommy nodded and continued to watch Taylor and Robbie, seeing how quickly a friendship was forming between the two. He hoped choosing to come here didn't bring danger down on them.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Oliver left the Queen Estate to go meet up with Diggle. His friend's contact at A.R.G.U.S., Lyla, had given him an update on Lawton and even set up a sting to catch the man. But Diggle didn't want Lawton arrested. He wanted the man dead and Oliver had promised to help Diggle get vengeance for his brother. Unfortunately Oliver was torn between stopping Rasmus from leaving the country and joining Diggle at the sting operation and, by going after Rasmus, he left his friend, his brother-in-arms, alone to deal with Lawton, who managed to escape but not before killing an A.R.G.U.S. agent. Diggle had no problem letting Oliver know just what he thought of him failing to back him up. 

Feeling lower than dirt Oliver returned home to tell Laurel that Rasmus had been arrested and, since he had confessed to everything, would be going to prison for a very long time. Tommy had wanted to wake Taylor and get back to Laurel's but Moira convinced him to let the boy, who'd been through so much, rest. That the house was plenty big enough for them to stay the night. Oliver had sensed Tommy's hesitation before he told Laurel it was her call. Laurel of course, thinking only of the best for Taylor, agreed to stay.

When Laurel went to check on Taylor she was surprised to find both he and Robbie tucked up in the same bed. Robbie, though younger, was curled around Taylor. Her arms wrapped around him, with her face tucked into his shoulder and in Taylor's arms was the little brown bird toy that Robbie seemed to carry everywhere. She heard movement behind her and turned to find Oliver standing in the doorway, smiling, and, quietly, she slipped from the room, Oliver softly closing the door behind her.

When Laurel sighed and leaned back against the wall Oliver immediately tried to comfort her.

"He's safe now, Laurel."

"With a hard road ahead of him," she replied as she looked at him.

"He's lucky to have you in his life," Oliver said with a small smile. "And he knows you're not the only one who cares."

Laurel finally smiled a little. "When Robbie brought out all of those toys, getting him to play with her, I...I was so happy to see him smile. They certainly took to one another. Robbie's quite protective of him for only knowing him for a day."

"Children are like that," Oliver chuckled. "And as for Robbie...well...I figure she'll present as an Alpha."

Laurel shook her head. "I think she's just like her daddy. Always trying to help people." She started to move, to hug him, but movement at the end of the hall, Tommy stepping back around the corner to hide himself, and his own instincts, had him stopping her. He didn't need things between him and Tommy to be worse.

"I'm just glad we were able to keep Taylor safe," he said with that small smile still on his face. He was about to say something else when the power suddenly went out and, normally he wouldn't have thought anything of it given the storm, but his hard earned instincts screamed that it was something else, something more. Tommy immediately came dashing down the hall.

"You two stay here with the kids," Oliver said as Tommy reached them, not wanting them to be in the line of fire if his instinct was right.

"Where are you going," Laurel demanded though Tommy's eyes said he knew perfectly well what Oliver was going to do.

"It's an old house," Oliver said, hoping to downplay the situation, not wanting Laurel to be afraid. "Fuses blow all the time. It's probably nothing just...just stay here."

Tommy nodded even though Laurel didn't look completely convinced and Oliver opened the door to the bedroom, ushering them in only to pause when he saw Robbie was sitting up, rubbing her eyes.

"Daddy?"

He crossed quickly to the bed, kissing her forehead. "Hey, little bird, I need you to stay in here, okay? Tommy's going to look after you for a few minutes. You stay with him, no matter what."

Robbie recognized his tone, the one that said _I need you to listen because it's really important_ , and she nodded. "M'kay."

Oliver nodded and left the room, seeing the way Tommy's gaze followed him but brushed it off. He needed to focus.

Heading down the hall he let his mind settle into the same place it did when he went out as the vigilante. He encountered the assassin in the upper hallways and, after a brief fight, had no choice but to pitch them both over the railing just above the entryway. Breaking free of the man's hold he got hold of a fireplace poker and, after another brief scuffle, he drove the poker through the assassin's chest. Killing him. Panting for breath he collapsed to the floor, the fight having taken more out of him than he'd thought.

Once the police arrived he managed to convince Detective Lance that one of the bodyguards, Robins, had killed the assassin before being killed himself. Thankfully Tommy backed him and Lance, though it was obvious he doubted Oliver's words, accepted it and left.

Oliver breathed out a sigh of relief and turned, stepping over to where Tommy was standing. Tommy looked at him, a slight frown on his face, arms crossed over his chest as they watched Laurel take Taylor and Robbie back upstairs. When Tommy looked at him again Oliver wasn't quite certain what the man was thinking.

"Before you left the room," Tommy said softly. "You told Robbie to stay with me. Not with me and Laurel. Just me. Why?"

"Tommy..."

"You were really clear, Oliver." Tommy's expression said he wasn't going to drop the subject. "You told her to stay with me. No matter what. And I...I want to know why."

Oliver sighed.

"Because I knew you'd keep her safe," he said honestly. "No matter how you feel towards me, and I know it's not good, far from good in fact, I knew you wouldn't let anything happen to her. And...And I wanted her to understand that I trusted you with her safety. That you are one of the few people I trust with her safety."

Tommy blinked, clearly surprised by that statement, and he shook his head.

"Oliver, I can't believe...I...you..." Tommy blew out a low breath and shoved a hand through his hair. "You make it really hard to stay mad at you, you know?"

Before Oliver could say anything to that Tommy kept talking.

"I mean...all the shit you're running around doing...that...I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all of that. And then to top it off you're Bonded to my father and I...there aren't words enough to explain my feelings on that."

Oliver let out a soft sound. "They're probably pretty similar to my sister's."

"I doubt it." Tommy shook his head. "I mean...I...I think I'm more pissed that you just didn't tell me."

"Tommy..."

"Look I'm not saying I forgive you, because I...I'm not there...but I...I'm not just going to throw away a life long friendship over...over this."

Oliver gave Tommy a small smile and nod. "Okay," he said, giving another nod. "Okay, Tommy."

Tommy nodded back before sighing. "I should go check on Laurel and Taylor."

Oliver watched his friend climb the stairs and he drew a deep breath, just glad he hadn't lost his friend. He knew he had to sacrifice things for his crusade but Tommy wasn't one of the things he was willing to sacrifice.


	20. Chapter 20

Oliver soon found that continuing to avoid Malcolm was going to be tricky, especially since the Alpha seemed to have suddenly developed a taste for club life.

Seeing Malcolm at _Verdant_ had thrown Oliver off his game and he had barely managed to get away before the Alpha spotted him. Unfortunately Tommy noticed his hasty departure and followed after him, cornering him on the stairs leading down to the subbasement.

"Why are you avoiding my father," Tommy asked with a quirked eyebrow. "I mean, not to question you're choices, but a few weeks ago he was practically floating on cloud nine because you'd decided to give him a chance and now you're running from him like he's got the plague or something."

Oliver sighed. "Tommy..." He saw the look on his friend's face and ended up sighing again. "It's complicated."

Tommy's eyebrow quirked a little higher and Oliver knew his friend wasn't just going to let this go.

"You really think he'd be safe with me? Considering...everything I'm doing?"

Tommy frowned. "You're saying you've been avoiding him, making him miserable, making both of you miserable, to protect him?"

"Yes. No. Yes. I mean..." Oliver groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. "I don't know what else to do, Tommy."

Tommy said nothing for a moment before shaking his head.

"You realize he's not exactly helpless, right? Because the night those assassins came for him he sort of...killed two of them before he was shot."

Oliver blinked in surprise.

He hadn't known that.

"He did?"

It was Tommy's turn to blink. "You didn't know he could fight? That he's...he's just as capable of killing as you are?"

Oliver looked away. He didn't want to admit that he didn't really know much about Malcolm at all. Tommy knew anyways because he let out a low whistle before shaking his head.

"I'd ask if the two of you ever really talked but I think I know the answer to that."

Before Oliver could respond his phone buzzed, a text alert from Felicity, he quickly checked it before looking back at Tommy. "I'm sorry," he said with an apologetic smile. "But...well...it's..."

Tommy waved his hand through the air. "Don't want to know." He turned and headed back up the stairs to the club. "Just...be careful."

Oliver nodded, watching Tommy go before he turned and headed down the stairs, finding Felicity waiting for him.

"I've got a lead on Bachman," Felicity said from where she was sitting at the computers. "But he's going to be on the move soon so you need to be quick."

"Aren't I always?"

Felicity rolled her eyes as he got suited up.

While taking down Harold Bachman, a corrupt accountant, Felicity managed to use the man's banking history to find a possible link to Walter's disappearance. That link led to an underground casino run by Dominic Alonzo, who was also a kidnapper. Unfortunately Oliver could just go at Alonzo head on. The man was guarded by his own private little army. Which meant someone, not Oliver who would be too recognizable, had to go undercover. That someone being Felicity since Diggle hadn't been around since the Lawton incident.

Despite Felicity getting in fine, she was found out, taken to Alonzo's office and was able to get a drive connected to the man's computer before Oliver was forced to burst into the casino to protect her. Confronting Alonzo, demanding answers concerning Walter's abduction, led to Alonzo saying the people who hired him to abduct Walter had killed the Alpha. That, thankfully, turned out to be a lie. But unfortunately it also revealed that Malcolm was involved somehow in Walter's abduction.

Felicity was able to track a phone call made from Malcolm's office to the place where Walter was being held and, despite his whirlwind feelings concerning his mate's involvement in Walter's abduction, he managed to find Walter and bring him home. At the hospital, while his mother and sister sat with Walter, fussing over the man who'd been such an important part of their lives for five years, Oliver left them alone, knowing he had someone else who needed his attention. He had just stepped out of the room, the door closing quietly behind him, and had taken a few steps when the unimaginable happened.

"Oliver."

Malcolm's voice washed over him and he resisted the urge to growl, to turn on the Alpha and demand answers. He had to force himself to slowly turn and face the man who, despite everything he'd done to distance himself from, he'd thought he could trust. The man who had begged him for a chance. A chance he'd been willing to give the moment his mission was done.

"It's a miracle," the Alpha said with that grin that used to make Oliver's heart skip a beat but now filled him with dread. Because he didn't know who Malcolm was. And he never had. "How's Walter? The police are saying he was rescued by the vigilante."

"Yes, he was," Oliver said, keenly aware that his tone was flat, cold and that his expression was closed off.

"Has he said anything about his ordeal?" It seemed like such a strange thing to ask, especially since Malcolm didn't know that Oliver was aware of his involvement in the abduction. "Was he able to identify any of his captors?"

"No." Oliver shook his head.

"That's too bad."

"They'll get what's coming to them."

Malcolm seemed surprised for a split second, no doubt by the viciousness in Oliver's tone, before he gave a small smile and nodded. "They will," he agreed, starting to reach up to touch Oliver's shoulder but he jerked back, avoiding the touch, which caused Malcolm to frown. "Oliver?"

Oliver shook his head, knowing if he said anything now he'd end up letting Malcolm know he was on to the man, he took a step back.

"I need to go check on my daughter."

"Oliver," Malcolm stepped towards him, hand slightly raised as though to stop Oliver from leaving. "Wait, I..."

"Goodbye, Mr Merlyn."

Oliver turned and hurried off, keenly aware of Malcolm's gaze on his back as he retreated down the hallway, thankful for the crowd of nurses and doctors and visitors that helped him disappear before Malcolm could decide to come after him. He knew if Malcolm came after him then he wouldn't be able to hold back. He would demand answers. Would demand to know just what Malcolm was planning, why he'd kidnapped Walter, what any of it had to do, if anything, with his father's secret list. And right now there were too many unknown factors to risk letting Malcolm know he was on to him.

Returning to the Queen Estate Oliver found Robbie in the sitting room, tucked up on one of the sofas with a book, and, not surprisingly, she looked up at him as he entered the room.

"Is Walter okay," she asked softly, slowly closing her book. "Grandma wouldn't let me go with her to see him."

Oliver gave a small smile as he crossed to the sofa and sat next to her. "It's because she doesn't want you to see him in the hospital," he explained softly, not surprised when she crawled into his lap, her head tucked perfectly beneath his chin. "He'll be home in a day or two, you'll see."

"But...But he's okay, right? Really okay?"

Oliver's smile widened as he pressed a kiss to Robbie's forehead.

"I promise, Robbie, he's okay."

He felt Robbie nod and knew how important it was to her that Walter be okay. After everything they'd gone through, everything they'd lost, that she'd lost, she didn't want to lose anything, or anyone, else.

Running his fingers through her hair, as she began humming her lullaby, Oliver found his thoughts turning, again, to Malcolm. The man was involved in something much worse, much deeper, than just Walter's abduction. He didn't want to believe his Alpha capable of such terrible things but what if he was? Moira had been so adamant that he didn't know Malcolm, that he couldn't trust the man, and he'd dismissed it as parental worry. But what if it was something more? What if Moira knew exactly what Malcolm was planning?

He drew a deep breath and kissed Robbie's hair.

"I've got to go out for a little while, little bird," he said as she looked up at him. "I need to talk to Diggle about something."

Robbie nodded, understanding that if he was going to talk to Diggle it was important, and as she slid off his lap, reaching for her book. "Will you be back for bedtime?"

She'd grown rather fond of their bedtime stories and cuddles and he smiled as he nodded.

"I promise, little bird."

She smiled, gave a nod, as he stood. He smiled at her, kissing her head again, before turning and leaving.

He had work to do.


	21. Chapter 21

Together with his team Oliver pieced together enough information to confirm that, whatever Malcolm was planning, Moira was part of it. Just like she'd been part of the cover up concerning how the _Gambit_ had gone down. They also figured out that Malcolm's plan had a name.

The Undertaking.

They just needed to figure out what it was so that it, and Malcolm, could be stopped.

And the only way to do that was to press Moira for answers.

Oliver left Robbie with Felicity at he foundry while he went to confront his mother so that his little girl didn't overhear the argument he knew was coming between them. So that she wouldn't see what had to happen. He found Moira at home, in the den, and when he spoke, making his presence known, she turned, looking at him with a gentle smile before saying something about Walter being resting upstairs, about the Alpha doing well.

"Who took him?"

She blinked at the question, clearly surprised by it, but she masked her features well, just not well enough this time and it made Oliver wonder how he'd never seen she was lying about so much. Even when Diggle pointed it out, waved the proof in his face, he'd refused to accept it. But now, now he had no choice.

"Well," Moira said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "We don't know yet. But I'm going to make sure all the resources of Queen Consolidated are behind..."

"That's the answer you gave to the reporters yesterday," he said, cutting her off, seeing the shock on her face even as he levelled a hard stare at her. "Tell me the truth."

She let out a soft huff of breath.

"I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do," he replied calmly, amazed that he had managed to stay so calm, especially when faced with a lie that could destroy their family. "A couple months ago when I showed you Dad's notebook you seemed to know something. Something about our family being in danger."

"Are you suggesting that I knew something about my Alpha's kidnapping?"

"I'm just suggesting that maybe you were scared, that maybe you didn't mean for any of this to happen, but it was harder than you thought and now you're barely keeping your head above water."

He could tell, from the sharp glint in her eyes, that he'd hit the nail on the head.

"Please, Mom," he continued. "Let me help you before you drown."

Moira gave him one of those looks she used to when he was about to get into trouble, the look that told him to stop, to reconsider what he was doing.

"You need to stop asking these things, do you understand? I need you to stop."

"Like you needed me to stay away from Malcolm? My Alpha?" He knew it was a nasty barb to use but watching the expression that played across her face, the anger mixed with fear, made it at least somewhat worth it. "I need to know what's going on."

Before Moira could say anything else the lights went out and, in the blink of an eye they were both darted with some sort of tranquilizer. When they came too they were in a warehouse of some kind, strapped to chairs and Oliver wished there'd been another way to do this but Moira wouldn't willingly give up the information he needed so this was the only choice. When Diggle emerged from the shadows, dressed at the vigilante, demanding answers, answers Moira refused to give until Diggle, already beating Oliver, made it seem like he was going to kill him. Then, and only then, did Moira brake.

"Malcolm is planning to level the Glades!" Her scream echoed through the warehouse. "He says so he can rebuild it."

Diggle turned to her. "How?"

"There's a device."

"What device?"

"He says that it can cause an earthquake."

"How is this possible?"

"I don't know," she said with a shake of her head. "It was invented by Unidac Industries. Malcolm used my company's Applied Sciences to turn it into a weapon."

Diggle prowled around behind Moira. "Why would you get involved in something like this?"

Moira closed her eyes even as tears trickled down her face. "My husband," she admitted and Oliver felt like someone had just stabbed him in the chest as he realized just how badly his father had failed Starling City. "He got involved without my knowing. He was just trying to do some good. He was lost. His decisions left me vulnerable to Malcolm and I had no choice. I had to protect my family. My children."

"This device," Diggle growled, prowling back around to where Moira could see him. "Where is it?"

"I don't know."

"If you don't tell me I can't stop Merlyn."

"You can't stop him. It's too late."

Diggle didn't reply. He merely cut Oliver loose before doing the same to Moira and disappearing into the shadows. The moment Moira was free she raced to Oliver, reaching for him, trying to check if he was okay but he pulled away, giving her a cold, disbelieving look.

"Oliver," she breathed his name, tears still streaming down her face. "Please, I know what you must be thinking, sweetheart, but I never intended for any of this to happen. You know I would never willingly be a part of anything like this."

Oliver shoved the chair away from him, staggering to his feet, head still ringing a bit from Diggle's punches. He looked down at his mother, at the woman he'd thought he'd known. The woman who'd been lying to him, to Thea, to everyone, for years and it felt like he was looking at a stranger. All those years on the island he'd dreamt of coming home, coming back to his mother, and she wasn't even the same person who'd lost him five years ago.

"I don't know anything anymore," he replied coldly before he limped away, leaving her there on the floor, refusing to look back even when he heard her soft, broken sob.

Returning to the foundry Felicity managed to use the information he and Diggle had gotten about Unidac Industries to discover that the SCPD suspected the recent slaughter of dozens of Unidac employees to be the work of the Dark Archer, who hadn't been seen since Christmas.

"So the other archer works for Merlyn?" Diggle looked at Oliver who sighed.

"He's tying up loose ends, erasing all evidence the device exists so no one can trace the devastation back to him," he replied as he glanced over at Robbie, who was sitting in a chair at one of the equipment tables, fiddling with an arrow shaft. He knew now that the safest place for her was right here. He couldn't risk taking her back to the Queen Estate. Not when Malcolm had such easy access. The Alpha, his Alpha, was too great a threat to ignore, to allow anywhere near his little girl.

Despite Diggle suggesting he have a conversation with Malcolm Oliver reminded his friend that the other archer was still out there, that the man could trigger the device, could fulfill Malcolm's plan. That what they had to do was find the device first. Then go after Malcolm.

Felicity, being the tech genius that was she was, suggested another way to get Malcolm to tell them what they needed.

Hacking into the mainframe at _Merlyn Global_ , using it to find the location of the device. Unfortunately an outside hack wouldn't work. The mainframes firewalls and security protocols were too much for even Felicity. Which left them with one option. To waltz in and access the mainframe directly. It was tricky, they were nearly caught, but thankfully Diggle, planted as a security guard, managed to save Felicity with a bogus story about her being one of Tommy's crazy ex-girlfriends, before anyone realized what she was really doing there.

Eventually Felicity was able to sort through the data on the mainframe enough to locate where the earthquake device was being kept. Oliver sent Diggle to get the device while he went to deal with Malcolm.

It was time he and his Alpha had a little chat about the Undertaking.


	22. Chapter 22

Oliver prowled like a shadow along the rooftops towards the _Merlyn Global_ building and the entire time all he could think about was his Alpha.

Malcolm had lied to him, to the entire city it would seem, for years.

And he hadn't seen it.

Just like when his mother had lied.

The memory of discovering the truth about the _Gambit_ , about her involvement, burned through his mind and he had to shake it away before it drug him down into that rage and pain filled place. The same place most of his memories concerning his five years away from his city were kept. That place, those memories, would destroy him if he wasn't careful. And right now, going to face Malcolm, going to get answers, to try and convince the man to stop the Undertaking, he needed to be as careful as he could.

Not just for himself but for his daughter.

He was suddenly glad he had distanced himself from Malcolm. That he hadn't permitted his...the Alpha to form any sort of real bond with Robbie.

Drawing a deep breath as he finally reached his destination he closed his eyes for a moment, reminding himself why he was doing this, and made his way, using a zip line arrow, into _Merlyn Global_.

No turning back now.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Malcolm was in his office, wrapping up a business call when he caught the scent of an intruder. The scent of a Beta. The scent of the vigilante.

"Can I help you," he said without turning around, which caused his associate on the phone to ask what he was talking about. "I wasn't talking to you," he clarified as he turned, facing the man who, just months ago, he'd nearly killed. He quickly ended the call and tossed his phone onto the desk. The green hooded archer didn't move. Didn't even twitch. It was, Malcolm had to admit to himself, somewhat impressive.

"Malcolm Merlyn," the vigilante growled, but there was a hint of something in the man's voice that Malcolm couldn't place. Something familiar. "You have failed this city."

The way the vigilante spoke almost seemed as though he regretted having to utter those words, as though he had hoped that he would never be forced to say them to Malcolm.

Despite that Malcolm went with ignorance, pretending not to know what the vigilante was talking about.

"And how have I done that?"

"The Undertaking." Malcolm wasn't surprised the vigilante knew, he had found the virus in the mainframe after all and taken the necessary precautions to protect everything he'd been working towards for years. "It ends now."

He knew the vigilante's associate had found the empty crates when the man swiftly drew an arrow, nocking it the string and taking aim at him.

"Where's the device," the vigilante growled and Malcolm fought down his smirk.

"Safe," was his calmly delivered reply. "I don't know how you got that trojan onto my system but it prompted me to take precautions." He lifted his hands in the universal gesture of surrender as he slowly made his way around the desk. "There is nothing you can do to stop what is about to happen."

Malcolm could hear the bowstring tightening, the vigilante drawing it back a fraction further and, just for a moment, he had a flicker of fear, of doubt. He was trained. Well trained. But that didn't make him invincible. One well placed shot and he was done. He'd lose everything. A brief thought of Oliver, of Robbie, of Tommy, flickered through his mind and he had to force it away. He couldn't afford to be distracted. Not now.

"And you shouldn't," he continued, watching the vigilante carefully, watching for a sign that the man was about to let his arrow fly. "This city needs it to happen in order to survive. The people who are destroying it from the inside need to be erased from the map."

"Fine," the vigilante snarled and, for the briefest of moments, Malcolm thought maybe he'd gotten through to the other man who, like himself, had wanted nothing more than to save Starling from the corruption slowly destroying it. But then he saw the man's shoulder twitch and knew what was coming. "Let's start with you."

The arrow flew but, in a display of his training, Malcolm easily, effortlessly, caught the arrow before it could reach his chest.

"Ironic, isn't it," the Alpha said as the vigilante stared at him, no doubt shocked by what had just happened. "Last Christmas I almost killed you, a few months ago you saved my life, and now you're here trying to kill me. You should make up your mind."

"Done."

The ensuing fight was swift, brutal and strangely enough, reminded Malcolm of his years with the League. With a bit more training, with the right discipline, he imagined the vigilante could have been a match for even his old mentor. But in that moment the man wasn't even a match for him. He was strong, yes, and skilled, but he lacked the deeper conviction that he would need if he wanted to truly stop Malcolm. After managing to break the vigilante's bow the Alpha managed to deliver a well placed blow and rendered the vigilante unconscious.

Panting for breath Malcolm immediately knelt down to do what he should have done at Christmas.

Pushing the hood back he was prepared for anything but not for the face he saw.

Oliver.

His mate. His Omega.

"Oh no," he whispered the words, feeling shock, horror and guilt rolling through him like a storm.

He pulled Oliver into his arms, cradling his mate to his chest, trying to wipe the blood from one pale cheek, thoughts, emotions, in turmoil. What did he do? He'd nearly killed his mate. Three times now. And what could Oliver possibly have thought when he'd learned what his Alpha was planning? Was that why the Omega had put distance between them? Or had it done it out of fear of Malcolm being hurt because of his work as the vigilante?

Malcolm let out a soft sound, scenting Oliver, catching hints of Omega beneath the Beta scent. Some sort of spray most likely, to mask his true scent, to help hide his identity.

His plans of simply killing the vigilante went up in a ball of fire and smoke.

He couldn't kill Oliver.

Even if the younger man wasn't his Omega he couldn't kill him.

For Moira's sake, for Robert's memory, he wouldn't have been able to kill Oliver.

But Oliver _was_ his Omega.

He loved the younger man. He could no more harm Oliver than he could Tommy or Robbie. He...

His heart suddenly leapt into his throat again.

Robbie.

If Oliver was here where was his mate's child?

Was she with Moira? Was she somewhere safe?

Lifting Oliver, carrying him over to a sofa he laid his mate down gently, looking at that bruised and battered face, his handy work, and he hated himself for doing it, for hurting his mate, for forcing his mate to come here, to confront him like this. Rushing to the desk he quickly grabbed up his phone, calling Moira, once he was certain Robbie was somewhere safe he'd take Oliver somewhere, at least until the Undertaking was complete and then maybe they could try and rebuild their lives together. He was certain if he could just explain things, make Oliver see what he was doing was necessary, then his Omega would understand and forgive him.

They could survive this.

They could.

Dialling Moira's number he quickly returned to Oliver's side, kneeling there as he waited for her to answer.

"Malcolm? Do you realize what time it is?"

"I apologize for the lateness," he said quickly, looking down at Oliver's face, emotions still warring within him. "But I...I needed to make certain Robbie was with you or at the very least at the house."

Moira said nothing for a moment and he could almost see her disapproving frown.

"Malcolm, I don't care if you and Oliver are mated, the location of my granddaughter is, quite frankly, none of your business and I'd thank you to remember..."

"I need to move up the Undertaking." He heard her sharp intake of breath. "I wanted to be certain that Robbie was safe, the she wasn't near the Glades. I know Oliver takes her to the club sometimes while he's working."

Again Moira was silent and he almost snarled, almost demanded an answer, when she let out a soft sigh.

"I...I honestly don't know where either of them are, Malcolm," she admitted and Malcolm swore his world stopped spinning. "Oliver...we had a bit of a fight and he...he took Robbie and I haven't seen either of them since yesterday."

"Very well," he said, trying to sound as calm as he could. Where was Robbie? Where was his mate's child? If anything happened to her he knew, no matter how much he explained, no matter how much he begged, Oliver would never forgive him. "I'll take appropriate measures to locate them before the plan initializes."

"Malcolm..."

"Goodnight, Moira."

Ending the call Malcolm drew a deep breath as he looked at his mate. He needed to make some more calls, to send people to look for Robbie, and to move Oliver to a secure location. He only prayed that his mate would understand and still accept him despite what he had to do.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Oliver came back to consciousness quickly, sharply, when ice cold water splashed over him, stealing the breath from his lungs for a moment. 

He gasped, sputtering, spitting water and shaking his head to clear his vision even as he instinctively took stock of his situation. He was shirtless, hanging by his arms, shackles secured around his wrists, heavy chains clinking together when he moved, but not suspended, his feet were firmly on the ground though his torso was stretch enough that his arms were pulled upwards, not allowing any chance of escape by tugging the chains free. Though he doubted even that would have worked.

He heard footsteps and immediately looked up, realizing he was in some sort of warehouse, even as he spotted the man walking towards him.

"I hope I didn't hurt you," Malcolm said, sounding sincere in that hope and Oliver barely repressed his growl. "At least I can properly thank you now for saving my life."

Malcolm walked closer, slowly circling him.

"If I only knew," the Alpha continued. "How you were spending your nights."

Oliver didn't hear any anger in the man's voice, no judgement, only a sort of awe, as though the idea of Oliver being the vigilante, being the one trying to save the city, still hadn't quite sank in for Malcolm. As the Alpha stepped back into his line of vision Oliver wasn't prepared for what he said next.

"My hope is that I can explain everything to you, to...to help you understand."

Oliver's rage boiled up then and he growled faintly at the man who, for a while, he'd thought he could trust.

"You murdered my father," he snarled, glaring at his...at Malcolm. "You sentenced me to that island!" His voice grew in volume, his anger more than obvious. "To five years of hell!"

Malcolm nodded, clearly having been expecting the outburst of Oliver's rage.

"I am truly sorry for what happened to you," the Alpha said as he stepped closer, reaching out to cup Oliver's cheek but the Omega jerked back as best he could, growling in warning. A sliver of hurt flittered through the Alpha's eyes. "I didn't know you were going to be on the Gambit. I...I never meant for you to be hurt...to suffer, Oliver."

Oliver growled but didn't respond so Malcolm kept talking, trying to explain, but Oliver suddenly didn't care about the reasons. All he kept thinking was that it was an Alpha's fault, again, that he'd suffered unimaginably.

"You know I have lost people," Malcolm said, expression saying he was hoping Oliver would understand, would accept things.

"Yeah," Oliver finally responded, still glaring at the man. "You're wife." He saw the brief flicker of guilt, of rage, before Malcolm masked it. "Do you really think that you're honouring Tommy's mother by destroying the Glades?!"

Malcolm gave a slight nod.

"As surely as you believe you're honouring your father with this hood," Malcolm said as he held up the hood he spoke off. Again sorrow filtered in the Alpha's eyes. "Not a day goes by when I don't miss your father, Oliver. When I don't think about...about how you suffered because of me."

"And that's supposed to make it better?! To make levelling the Glades alright?!"

Malcolm shook his head. "I don't expect you to understand the choices I've made," the Alpha said softly. "When you lose someone so important to you it leaves a wound...a wound that won't heal until you act."

"You think I don't understand that? That I don't know how badly the ache to avenge the person you loved and lost feels?" Oliver shook his head, trying to gesture as best he could to the bite marks dotting across his body. "Not all of these Bonds were forced, Malcolm! Not all the Alphas who took me like Wintergreen! And I felt them...each of them...when...when the Bond shattered. 

And each one...each one that I'd said yes to...the ones I'd wanted...I'd avenge them a thousand times over if I could but not by slaughtering thousands of innocent people!"

Malcolm made a soft sound at Oliver's words, his gaze darting around the bite marks he could easily see. No doubt he'd assumed, especially after Oliver told him of Wintergreen, that all of the Bonds Oliver had been through had been forced. He'd clearly never suspected that even one might have been because Oliver had wanted it.

"The Glades and the people there are a poison, Oliver," the Alpha said, sounding convinced beyond description and Oliver knew nothing he said would make a difference. Malcolm was convinced he was doing the right thing. Nothing but death would stop him now. Not even the pleading of the man who was his mate. "Once both are wiped from the map this city will be better off, will be safer. For everyone. Including you and Robbie."

Oliver snarled savagely, pulling against the chains as he surged towards Malcolm, teeth bared.

"Don't you _dare_ try and make this about protecting our daughter!"

Oliver inhaled sharply as he realized what he'd just said, what he'd just admitted, and Malcolm's eyes went wide in surprise.


	23. Chapter 23

Malcolm stared at Oliver, unbelievable and undeniable shock running through him for the second time that night as his Omega's words played over and over again in his mind.

_"Don't you_ dare _try and make this about protecting our daughter!"_

He took a small step towards Oliver.

"Our daughter?" 

He barely breathed the words, still not quite able to believe it. He had hoped that one day he and his mate might share a child, but to learn they already did, that they had for years, filled him with an elation he hadn't felt since Tommy had been born. But that feeling was quickly overshadowed by the twist of a realization. Oliver had to have birthed Robbie on the island. His daughter, their daughter, had been born and raised in hell. Had suffered God only knew what.

And it was his fault.

He had put not only Oliver in harms way by sinking the _Gambit_ but he could have just as easily killed their child.

"Oliver," Malcolm stepped closer reaching up to cup his Omega's cheek, not surprised when Oliver snarled and jerked away but Malcolm followed him, keeping his palm to his mate's cheek. "Oh God, Oliver, I...I am so sorry. I...God...I'm sorry. For everything...everything you and our...our little girl went through. There aren't words enough to explain how sorry I am."

For a moment it seemed Oliver was accepting his words, accepting his apology, possibly even beginning to forgive him. The Omega's eyes closed and he leaned slightly into Malcolm's touch and the Alpha started to take it as a good sign, a sign that things would indeed work out for them. But then he felt it. That strange tingle in the back of his skull that he hadn't felt since the night Oliver had saved him. The night he'd felt the Bond between them flare so damn brightly it had been like a firework going off in his mind.

It took him a moment to realize what was happening.

And when he did he swore his heart stopped beating.

"Oliver, don't," he pleaded, both hands coming up to frame Oliver's face, fear clawing at him even as he tried to find the words to convince Oliver to stop, to not do what the Omega was doing. "Please...Oliver please...don't do this! Don't do this! We can...We can work this out. Oliver, you don't need to do this! Oliver! Please!"

But it was too late.

The burning sensation in his skull, his nostrils, hurt but Malcolm's only outward display of it was a deep whine as the Bond between him and his Omega closed off. It wasn't the same feeling he'd have had if Oliver had died, a broken Bond was an unimaginable, indescribable, sort of pain, but this was almost as bad. Oliver's will had to be incredible strong to be able to do what he'd done. Not many Omegas could fully block the Bond, cutting off their Alpha, cutting off the connection that marked them as mates.

The Bond was still there, only death could sever it, but Malcolm could no longer sense Oliver's presence, that warm weight in the back of his mind that, for months had told him Oliver was alive, was safe. He could see and feel Oliver physically but when he stretched out his mind, reaching for his mate through the Bond, there was nothing but emptiness. 

As though Oliver no long existed. 

As though he was no longer alive.

"Oliver," Malcolm leaned in closer, lips ghosting over Oliver's as he spoke, trying to find the words that would sooth his mate, that would convince the younger man to let him in again. "Oliver, please, please don't...please...let me in...please."

Oliver didn't reply and Malcolm let out a soft, placating Alpha sound, his every instinct screaming at him to make this right, to fix things with Oliver, even as his mind warred with that, telling him that there'd be time to fix it when the Undertaking was complete, when he had his mate and their child safe at home.

"Don't...please, Oliver, don't do this. Please. I..." Malcolm lifted his head enough to look in Oliver's eyes which had opened but seemed flat, cold, compared to the way they appeared when the Bond had been open between them. "Oliver, I love you, please...I love you..."

Oliver snarled so savagely that for a moment it was easy to forget he was in fact an Omega and not an Alpha.

"You don't love me," Oliver growled, eyes blazing with his fury, with his hurt. "You never loved me."

"That's not true." Malcolm couldn't believe his mate would doubt his love. "It's not true. I _love_ you, Oliver. I love you so much."

"But not enough to stop the Undertaking."

Malcolm blinked, drawing back slightly, head and heart at war with one another.

"Oliver..."

"You say you love me, that you want to protect me and our daughter, but you're planning to prove it, to protect us, by _murdering_ thousands of people." Oliver shook his head, hands clenching tightly around the chains holding him up. "That's _not_ love, Malcolm."

"I know you think that now," Malcolm said calmly. "But once everything is finished you'll..."

"The first thing I'm doing when this is over, when I get free of this place, is take Robbie as far from you as I can."

Malcolm's heart dropped into his stomach. He couldn't tell if Oliver was just saying that or if his mate was serious. "Oliver, you can't..."

"You think, if I survive this, if I don't stop you or your Undertaking, that I'd let you anywhere near my daughter? That I'd ever trust you again?"

Malcolm drew a deep breath. "In time, you will," he was certain of that, it was all he had left now. "It will take time, I know and accept that, but we will get through this, Oliver. Together. With our daughter."

Oliver growled and shook his head. "You're delusional."

Malcolm reached up again, thinking to cup his mate's cheek but Oliver snapped at his fingers, nearly catching hold and he quickly jerked back. His Omega was simply angry right now. Hurt by what he saw as Malcolm's betrayal. Once the Undertaking was finished Oliver would see that their crusades, their desires to save the city from its own corruption, weren't so different and he'd forgive Malcolm.

"I'll come back," Malcolm said as he slowly stepped back. "But...but please...for Robbie's safety...won't you tell me where she is? I can protect her, Oliver, I swear I won't let anything happened to our..."

"Go fuck yourself, Malcolm."

With a sigh the Alpha realized that Oliver was still too angry to give up the location of their daughter. His men would likely find her soon and he'd have her brought here, just so Oliver knew he wasn't lying about wanting to protect their daughter, it would help his mate see that he was being honest with him, that he truly did want nothing more than to protect their family.

"I'll come back," the Alpha said again before turning and walking away, leaving several of his men to stay and guard his mate.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

Oliver managed to free himself from the chains, managed to take out one of the guards Malcolm had left behind but when another appeared, gun raised, aimed at him, he'd thought that was the end. By some twist of fate the shot that rang out was from Diggle, who'd tracked Oliver to the warehouse via the tracking device implanted in Oliver's boot. The Alpha snarked about taking back every joke he'd ever made about said tracking device before helping Oliver to get the hell out there.

They returned to the foundry and Oliver immediately scooped Robbie, who'd been playing some game on the tablet Felicity had given her, into his arms. His daughter could sense his tension and clung to him, even as Diggle explained Felicity had gone back to Queen Consolidated to continue combing through the data she'd pulled from Malcolm's servers. Apparently she'd found the schematics for the earthquake device, meaning once they found the thing they could shut it down.

Of course things were never easy and when they suddenly received news that Felicity had been taken in by Detective Lance for questioning concerning her failed hack into the _Merlyn Global_ mainframe Oliver knew they only option they had was to inform the man of the device and Malcolm's involvement in it. Thankfully Lance believed him and released Felicity.

Oliver in the meantime decided he had to go home, had to confront his mother again, but this time he had to convince her to do what was right. He had to convince her to help save the city before Malcolm destroyed part of it.

He left Robbie in the foundry, with Diggle and Felicity, knowing it was the best place for her since he knew Malcolm would have people looking for her. He had just started through the empty club when he spotted Tommy by the bar.

"Hey," he said, trying to force a smile. "What's...What's going on?"

"You mean besides my father wigging out because, apparently, his mate closed off the Bond and he feels like, and I quote this bit, _Oliver has died_?"

Oliver felt a momentary twinge of guilt but he pushed it aside.

He couldn't let Malcolm in again. He could already feel the Alpha's will, his mind, beating against the barricade he'd erected across the Bond, and it took so much just to stay strong, to not give in. He'd made that mistake before. He would not make it again.

"Tommy..."

"Do you have any idea what you're doing to him," Tommy demanded, pushing away from the bar and stalking towards Oliver. "Do you even realize that your so called plan to protect him is tearing him apart?"

"Tommy..."

Tommy kept right on talking as though Oliver hadn't spoken.

"When he first said the two of you were Bonded I'll admit I was...well I was beyond not thrilled. But then...for a little while at least...I saw how happy he was. How having you...your Bond...made him happy. He smiled, actually fucking smiled, Oliver, like he used to before my mother died. And I...I started thinking maybe you were a good thing for him after all. That maybe the two of you really had something that could...could help him become the man he used to be." Tommy shook his head and gave Oliver a disgusted, angry look. "But now...You're destroying him, Oliver!"

"Like he's planning on destroying the Glades," Oliver snarled before he could stop himself and the moment the words left his mouth he wished he could take them back.

Tommy blinked at him.

"What," the Alpha growled in disbelief. "Did you just say?"

"He's planning to destroy the Glades and everyone in it," Oliver said again, seeing the anger swirling in his friend's eyes. "Because he thinks it will avenge your mother's death."

Tommy growled at him.

"Do not talk about my mother!"

Oliver easily dodged the blow Tommy swung at him and as he turned to face his friend he knew nothing he said would convince Tommy of the truth. His friend was angry now, hurting because his father was hurting, because Oliver had had no choice but to do what he'd done. He only prayed that, before it was too late, Tommy would realize and accept the truth, that he would see Oliver had only been trying to protect him.

"Tommy..." Oliver started to take a step forward but Tommy snarled, rounding on him, glaring.

"Do you know how insane you sound?"

Oliver sighed. "The difference between us, Tommy," he said calmly, watching his friend, wary of another attempt of attack. "Is that I found out the truth about my father too late. But you...you've always known, deep down, what kind of man Malcolm is."

Tommy's growl deepened and Oliver saw the rage in his friend's eyes. The refusal to believe that his father was capable of something as horrible as destroying the Glades and the people there. And all that rage was directed solely at Oliver.

"I wish you had died on that island," the Alpha snarled, voice echoing coldly through the air and Oliver felt as though something within him shattered at those words.

A sharp hiccupping intake of breath had both men looking to the side, Oliver's heart leaping into his throat even as Tommy's eyes went wide in shock.

Robbie stood just a few feet away, likely having come up from the foundry to get a bottle of juice from the little fridge behind the bar, and Oliver saw the tears welling up in her eyes and he knew she'd heard what Tommy had just said. Tommy started to take a small step towards Robbie, her name falling in a hushed whisper from his lips but Robbie, hurt by what she'd inadvertently overheard, wanted nothing to do with him because she shook her head and whimpered softly before turning and bolting like a rabbit from a fox.

Tommy looked from where Robbie had been standing to Oliver. "Oliver...I...I didn't know she..."

"You. Need. To. Leave."

Oliver's voice was cold, flat, like when he'd last spoken to Malcolm and he hated that he had to speak to Tommy like that. He could have taken his friend's words, painful as they were, could have born that hate as he bore so much else. But Tommy's words had hurt Robbie and if there was one thing in the world he would not stand for it was his daughter being hurt. By anyone. Even Tommy.

"Oliver..."

"Get. Out. Now."

Oliver wasn't certain if it was his tone, his posture or maybe there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes but Tommy left, quickly, quicker than Oliver had seen him move in a long time. Drawing a deep breath he hurried back down to the foundry, needing to check on Robbie, to reassure her that things were okay. He found his little girl sniffling, wrapped up in Felicity's arms, his friend rocking her and telling her it was okay, that sometimes boys said stupid things because boys were stupid.

"Little bird," he breathed the words as he drew nearer, rubbing his hand over Robbie's back even as Diggle came walking over, carrying Robbie's stuffed kiwi bird, the Alpha's expression telling Oliver that his friend was not thrilled that Robbie was upset.

"Little bird," he said again as Robbie turned her head, peering at him from beneath the fall of her hair, refusing to let go of Felicity, who merely kissed the top of her head and hugged her closer. "Felicity's right, boys...we're sometimes really stupid and...and sometimes we say things when we're mad that we don't really mean."

"Then why say it," Robbie whispered and Oliver gave a soft smile as he tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Sometimes because we want to hurt someone but...but most of the time it's because we're so mad that the good part of us gets pushed down and all the bad stuff takes over. But later we feel really bad about it and we apologize and try to fix the damage we've done."

Robbie didn't look convinced, she merely sniffled and pressed closer to Felicity even after she accepted her kiwi from Diggle with a soft whisper of thanks.

"We got this, Oliver," Diggle said with that air of Alpha confidence he only seemed to develop when he was feeling extremely protective. "You go take care of what you need to."

Oliver nodded and pressed a quick kiss to Robbie's hair, promising to return as quickly as he could.


	24. Chapter 24

Oliver returned home to find his mother packing up some of Walter's belongings. The Alpha having left days ago, knowing Moira was somehow involved in his abduction, and needing time to come to terms with things but Oliver suspected Walter wouldn't be coming back any time soon, hence the reason he'd sent word that he'd be sending someone to collect his belongings. A part of Oliver felt bad for his mother but maybe, just maybe, if she hadn't kept so many secrets, hadn't lied for so long, none of this would have happened.

Moira glanced briefly at him as he entered but didn't say anything so he drew a deep breath as he slowly approached her.

"No more lies, Mom," he said calmly, pushing aside all his anger and hurt, knowing the only way this would work is if he was completely calm. "The Undertaking," she looked up sharply at him then. "We need to stop it."

Her expression said she didn't agree.

"Everything I have ever said or done," Moira said as she straightened. "Has been to protect you and your sister."

"What about all those people in the Glades?"

"I'm not their mother."

Oliver couldn't believe his mother was willing to trade hundreds, thousands, of lives for him and Thea.

"I spoke to Malcolm," he admitted as he stepped closer and suddenly Moira's expression changed, her eyes filled with fear.

"You what?" She looked shocked and horrified that Oliver had done so. "He could have killed you. He _killed_ your father."

That was one lie he couldn't let stand any longer. He should have told her, the moment he came home, but he hadn't wanted her, or Thea, or anyone, to know the truth of what had happened to Robert. That was his weight to bear but now he knew his mother needed to know the truth.

He shook his head slightly. "No, he didn't," he said softly, the memory of that day playing through his mind like a terrible horror movie. "After the _Gambit_ went down Dad and I...we both made it to the life raft." He saw the surprise in his mother's eyes and knew she wouldn't want to hear it but he kept talking. "And we drifted, for days, in the end there wasn't enough food and water for both of us so...so he shot himself."

"I don't want to hear this," Moira gasped, turning away from him, as though not looking at him would erase the memory of what he'd just told her. Oliver knew it hurt her but she needed to know. She had to know.

"He sacrificed himself so that I could live," he pressed on even as he stepped closer to his mother, praying that by telling her this she would understand why he needed her to help stop the Undertaking. "Do you really think that I could go on living knowing that you sacrificed _thousands_ more in my name?"

Moira looked at him and she looked so heartbroken, so torn, that it made his heart ache.

"Mom, please, you have to help me stop Malcolm. We need to know the device is."

He thought for a moment she was about to tell him, or at least agree to help stop Malcolm, but her phone rang and he had to watch as she stepped away, picking it up and answering it. He fought down his frustrated growl only to turn around in shock when Moira spoke.

"Malcolm?" Oliver watched his mother, saw the way her body tensed in fear, the slight tremor in her hand. "How can I help you?"

Oliver watched Moira's face as she turned towards him, saw the surprise that danced across it, saw the fear in her eyes. "I see," she said, replying to whatever it was that Malcolm had told her. "Thank you for...what? Malcolm, I...Malcolm I told you last night I have no idea where Oliver or Robbie are. No, no that's...I told you Oliver and I had a fight and he...well have you tried asking Tommy? Well then maybe Miss Lance knows or...don't take that tone with me!" Moira's grip tightened around her phone and suddenly she appeared the fierce woman Oliver knew her to be. "I told you I haven't seen Oliver in nearly two days so don't...Malcolm? Malcolm?"

She pulled her phone away from her ear looking at it in surprise, Malcolm having clearly hung up on her, but when she looked up at Oliver he saw fear in her eyes. Before he could ask what was happening she spoke, voice barely above a frightened whispered.

"Malcolm's accelerated his timetable...the Undertaking is happening tonight."

Oliver drew a sharp breath and knew he was all but out of time. He headed for the door only pausing when Moira asked him where he was going. He turned back to her.

"Somebody in this family needs to put an end to this," he said firmly, sounding more like an Alpha than an Omega in that moment. "Whatever the cost."

Moira watched her son leave and realized what she'd truly done by helping Malcolm with the Undertaking. 

She wasn't saving the city. 

She was condemning her son to death.

Drawing a deep breath she suddenly knew what she had to do in order to truly save the city, to protect her family.

oOoOoOo

Malcolm was in his office, silently fuming that Oliver had somehow managed to escape, not alone, surely not, and that his mate had disappeared completely, when Tommy came storming in. His son's anger was practically a living force as the younger Alpha stormed over to where Malcolm kept a decanter full of scotch, pouring himself a glass.

"Oliver's fine," Tommy growled and Malcolm had to force himself not to turn from the window, had to force himself not to grab his son and demand answers, to demand the younger Alpha tell him where his mate was, where his daughter was. "He's...shit...I think I did more harm than good going to talk to him."

Malcolm frowned as he finally looked at Tommy. "What do you mean?"

Tommy let out a low exhale of breath, looking at his glass of scotch. "I...I said things...in front of Robbie but I...I didn't know she was even standing there!"

Malcolm blinked and stepped towards his son.

"You saw Robbie?" That meant she was okay, she was safe, Oliver had simply tucked her away, trying to keep her from him. He couldn't blame Oliver for that. It was an Omega's deepest instinct to protect, to safe guard, their child. Even from their own Alpha if they thought it necessary.

Tommy nodded as he downed half the glass in a single go.

"Don't think Oliver will let that happen again for a long time."

"I tried telling you on the phone that confronting him was not a wise decision."

"He's acting like a kid throwing a tantrum and he's hurting you by doing it!" Tommy scowled. "You were wigging out just an hour ago because you couldn't find him, couldn't sense him, now you're telling me I was in the wrong?"

"I didn't say that," Malcolm clarified with a shake of his head. "I'm merely saying that you don't understand how a Bonded pair act. That...That sometimes an Alpha and Omega, no matter how long they've been Bonded have...disagreements."

Tommy snorted. "Must have been some disagreement if it's got him saying you want to nuke the Glades or something." The younger Alpha gave a somewhat amused chuckle as he sipped at his scotch. "It's funny, but scotch doesn't make it any more believable. Maybe after your jihad we can grab some steaks."

Malcolm knew his son was trying to make a joke but he didn't find it funny, especially when Tommy was talking about something that _was_ going to happen. He drew a slow breath and knew it was time. Time to confide in his son.

"It's true, Tommy," he said calmly, sounding so rational. "It's the reason I closed your mother's clinic. I didn't want to see it levelled."

Tommy looked at him with confusion and disbelief. "What?"

"I have something I'd like you to listen to," Malcolm said as he stepped around his son and walked to his desk, knowing this would hurt his son but it would also help him to understand why he was doing this. He should have done this with Oliver, shouldn't have tried to explain without giving his mate the full reason. Maybe then Oliver might have accepted his plan.

He retrieved the media player from its hiding spot and continued to speaking.

"The night you're mother died she called me." It was the first time in a long time that he'd admitted that aloud and he saw the pain flare bright as daylight in Tommy's eyes. "I woke to a voicemail from her."

"Dad..." Tommy's tone was pleading but Malcolm knew he had to do this.

"Her final gift to me," the elder Alpha said before pressing the play button.

_"Malcolm."_ Rebecca's voice, full of pain and tears, filled the room and he saw Tommy tense, saw his son fighting back tears as his hands clenched at his sides. _"I'm in trouble...I told...I told him to take everything...my money...my ring..."_

Tommy made a pained sounded and begged him to turn it off but he didn't. He just let it play.

_"He shot me..."_ Rebecca whimpered and Malcolm could almost see her, in his mind, lying alone in some street, frightened. _"I screamed for help but...but no one would come. Oh God...Malcolm...I don't want to die alone..."_

Malcolm blinked, forcing the images, the memories, away in order to speak with a calm even voice. "She bled out into the pavement while people passed and did nothing."

Tommy let out a soft sound, squeezing his eyes shut, fighting back the tears. Malcolm looked at his son and everything in him screamed to comfort, to protect, and he knew he could only do that now by convincing Tommy that what he was going to do was necessary.

"Your mother built her clinic in the Glades because she wanted to save this city. But it can't be saved. Because the people there don't want it to be saved."

"So you kill them all?"

"Yes!" Malcolm hadn't meant to shout, especially not at Tommy, but listening to that recording had stirred his rage and he couldn't help himself. "They deserve to die! All of them! The way she died!"

Tommy blinked, staring at his father as though he didn't recognize the man and Malcolm had just opened his mouth, to apologize for his outburst, when Tommy quickly, quietly spoke.

"What about Oliver?"

Malcolm looked at his son in confusion. "What?"

Tommy drew a slow deep breath. "The club's in the Glades, Dad, do you...do you not realize how much time Oliver spends there? Do you not know he takes Robbie there during the day just so he can spend time with her while he goes over the books and my records?" 

Tommy saw it in his father's face. The man hadn't known any of that. It just proved how little Oliver and Malcolm really knew about one another. Suddenly Tommy realized that Oliver had been trying to warn him about this side of his father. This dark, twisted creature that was planning mass murder to avenge his wife.

"I'll send someone," Malcolm said then, voice once again calm and even. "To fetch them both. To...To take them either to my house or to the Queen Estate but...but somewhere far form the Glade. Somewhere safe. I won't let them..."

"You really think Oliver is going to do what you want?"

Malcolm looked at his son in surprise. "He's my mate. He'll understand that protecting Robbie is more important than trying to stop me."

Tommy slowly shook his head, looking at his father in disbelief.

"He's not going to listen to you, Dad. No matter what you say, no matter what you do. You may still be Bonded but...but destroying the Glades...killing all those people...he'll never forgive you."

Malcolm shook his head, refusing to listen to the reason in his son's words. He knew better. He knew Oliver would come around, would forgive him for this sin, once he better understood, once the sickness of the Glades was gone, his mate would understand. They could start over. Him, Oliver and their daughter. They could be a proper family.

"He's my mate, my Omega," he said as though it that explained it all. "He'll forgive me."

Tommy shook his head again. He knew Oliver, knew the rage he'd seen in his friend, and he knew, no matter what his father believed, if Malcolm's plan worked, if the Glades and its people were destroyed Oliver would never forgive him.


	25. Chapter 25

Oliver returned to the foundry and learned that Felicity had discovered the most likely location of the earthquake device to be the Tenth Street Station. It was underground and the station ran along a naturally occurring fault line. It was the perfect place. Despite telling Felicity to take Robbie and leave, to get out of the Glades, Felicity argued that no one else would know how to dismantle the device. Oliver didn't like it but he knew they had no choice. Before he suited up he pulled Robbie aside, hugging her as he spoke.

"You're going to stay here with Felicity while I go stop the bad guy," he said with a smile, hoping she didn't see how nervous, how frightened, he truly was. "I'll be back as soon as I can, little bird, I promise."

Robbie gave him this look, the one that said she knew how dangerous this all really was and to stop treating her like she was little kid.

"What if you don't come back?"

His smiled slipped a bit as he hugged her close again. "If that happens...If that happens Diggle or Felicity is going to take you home and your grandmother and Aunt Thea are going to take care of you."

Robbie snuffled a bit and pressed as close to him as she could. Before she let him leave she pulled those old dog tags from beneath her shirt, slipping them over his head. "So Dad can look after you," she whispered as she tucked the tags and chain beneath beneath his shirt, the metal pressing warmly against his chest. She kissed his cheek and he hugged her again just as his cell phone rang.

It was Thea, telling him that their mother was holding some kind of press conference, asking if he knew what was going on. When he asked which channel she said it looked like all of them. He quickly had Felicity bring up the new feed and sure enough there was his mother standing in front of the cameras.

"My name is Moira Queen, I am the acting CEO of _Queen Consolidated_ and, God forgive me, I have failed this city." Moira looked at the cameras and Oliver quickly realized what she was doing. She was trying to right her wrongs the only way she knew how. "And for the past five years, under the threat for my life and the lives of my family, I have been complicit in an undertaking with one horrible purpose. To destroy the Glades and everyone in it."

Oliver's heart leapt into his throat as Moira went on to name Malcolm as the architect of the Undertaking, claiming she had evidence that he had murdered several people including her late Alpha, Robert. She pleaded for those who lived in the Glades to get out. As quickly as they could. Oliver watched, helpless, as the news cameras captured his mother's arrest for all the world to see.

As he was suiting up Felicity mentioned that, according to the schematics the earthquake device could be triggered by a timer or remotely trigger and, even though Diggle suggested there might be a chance to get the remote and prevent the device was being triggered, Oliver knew it was too be a risk. The device had to be found and dismantled. It was the only way to be completely certain the Glades would be safe.

The only option was to ask Lance to go to the abandoned subway station near Pap Street and find the device. When Lance asked how he knew that's where the device was Oliver let out a low sigh and admitted he knew because that was where Malcolm's wife had been murdered. He told the detective that their mutual friend could help walk him through it once he found it.

He and Diggle, who had refused to let Oliver go into battle against Malcolm alone, left the foundry quickly, making their way through an already chaos ridden Glades and across the city to _Merlyn Global_. In Malcolm's office they found several dead police officers and Tommy, who was slowly coming around from what looked like a blow that had rendered him unconscious for God only knew how long.

Oliver rushed to his friend, needing to be certain his friend was okay. Tommy looked up at him, still dazed, but eyes gaining focus as the Alpha blinked.

"Oliver..."

"Where's your father," Oliver was all but certain Malcolm had knocked Tommy out, to prevent him from seeing his escape or maybe Tommy had finally realized what Malcolm truly was and had tried to stop him. Tommy gave a slight shake of his head, wincing slightly in pain.

"I don't know," Tommy said as he looked at Oliver again. "You were right. You were right about him."

Oliver didn't know how to respond to that and was thankful when Diggle said his name, drawing his attention to a partially open hidden doorway. Before Oliver could move, before he could join Diggle, Tommy spoke again.

"Are you going to kill him?"

Their gazes locked and Oliver knew he couldn't give the answer Tommy so desperately wanted to hear. No matter what Malcolm had done or was going to do, to Tommy the man was, and always would be, his father. Instead Oliver said the only thing he could. "Get to safety."

He rose and crossed the office to join Diggle, waiting until he was certain Tommy was out of harms way before motioning for Diggle to open the door. The room the now open door revealed was plan, simple, a weapons room and, across from them, stood Malcolm, dressed in his Dark Archer disguise.

"Welcome, gentlemen," the Alpha said calmly, though his gaze was fixed only on Oliver. "I've been waiting for you."

"Where's the transmitter," Oliver demanded as he and Diggle stepped further into the room, Diggle immediately fanning to the right, gun trained on Malcolm the entire time.

"Somewhere I can easily get to it," was the Alpha's reply and Diggle let out a low growl.

"I doubt it," Diggle said firmly, certainly. "You'll be too dead."

Oliver fired arrows even as Diggle squeezed the trigger but Malcolm proved he was well trained, using the room to his advantage. The fight was more of a scuffle and, just before Malcolm darted for the stairs, he threw a knife, the blade slamming into Diggle's chest. Not a fatal wound but it hurt like hell and would certainly make hand to hand combat next to impossible. Despite Oliver's instincts to stay with his friend, to make certain Diggle was alright, the injured Alpha shook his head, sending him after Malcolm.

Oliver took the stairs two at a time, reaching the roof quickly, finding Malcolm once again waiting for him.

"Oliver," Malcolm spoke calmly, softly, still trying to convince him to see his side. "Oliver, please, this isn't necessary."

"But destroying the Glades is?"

"You've spent the last year trying to save this city," Malcolm reasoned. "But even you have to admit that sometimes the only way to save one thing is to destroy another. So that something new, something better, can flourish."

"Not at the cost of thousands of lives."

"They're hardly innocents."

"That doesn't make them expendable."

Malcolm drew a deep breath and then sighed. "You can't stop me, Oliver. You can't stop the Undertaking." He took a slight step forward. "And I...I don't want to fight you. You're my mate, the father of my daughter. I just want to take care of you, to protect you. And Robbie."

Oliver growled faintly.

"And who protects us from you?"

Malcolm blinked. "Oliver," he took another half step forward. "Oliver, I would never hurt you. Never. I love you."

Oliver shook his head.

"This isn't love, Malcolm," he growled back, fingers twitching, his instincts at war with themselves. "Killing people isn't about love. It's vengeance. And right now..." Oliver let out a pained sound. "Right now you're more concerned with avenging your wife than you are about even considering stopping for me. For our daughter."

"Oliver..."

"Don't. Just...don't."

Malcolm started to step towards him and Oliver knew no matter he said, no matter what he did, Malcolm wouldn't stop. Not for him. His Alpha had made it clear that avenging his wife was more important that whatever life they might have been able to have together. He wished it didn't hurt as much as it did.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, watching the understanding dawn on Malcolm's face but before his Alpha could say anything he drew and loosed an arrow.

The fight between them was quick, more of a scuffle than an actual fight, with them trading blows and arrows, neither inflicting anything by minor or moderate damage. Oliver knew what he had to do but he just couldn't seem to bring himself to do it. Malcolm was his Alpha, his mate, and even with the blocked Bond if the man died he'd feel it like he'd felt the other broken Bonds. It would cripple him.

He had just dodged one a blow and started to turn, to lash out with his own, when Malcolm demonstrated his training, countered, managing to get his arms around Oliver's neck in a hold that, within a few minutes would render him unconscious. Should the Alpha not let up it would kill him. He struggled, fighting to break the hold and failing.

"Don't struggle," Malcolm said as the fight began to go out of him, his vision greying and going fuzzy around the edges. "Don't struggle, Oliver. It will be better, easier, if you don't struggle. I don't want to hurt you."

Oliver grunted, fighting to breathe, to get any air at all into his lungs even as his knees buckled.

"That's it," Malcolm breathed in his ear. "It's over. It's over."

Oliver struggled to maintain consciousness as Malcolm continued to speak in his ear.

"When you wake up we'll be far from here. Someplace safe." He felt, vaguely, his mate nuzzle his cheek. "You, me and Robbie. We'll all be someplace safe. We'll be together."

Just as the world started to dim Oliver heard a voice in his head. His father's voice, telling him to survive, and then another, Yao-Fei's voice, uttering the one word the man had taught him. _Shēngcún_. He finally managed to get a bit of air into his lungs and, even with his vision fading in and out as he looked down, he spotted the arrow. One of Malcolm's. With a shaky hand he grabbed for it, finally managing to get his fingers wrapped around the shaft and he could heard Malcolm still whispering how they'd be together, be a family, and he steeled himself for the coming pain.

Without a word of warning he drove the arrowhead through his own body in order to piece Malcolm's chest.

He heard Malcolm's gasp of pain even as his Alpha's grip slackened, giving him room to breath and pull away, his shoulder screaming in agony as he moved, climbing slowly to his feet, turning to look at his mate now slumped on the rooftop.

"I'm sorry," he groaned, hand coming up to cover the wound, to try and staunch the blood flow. "I...I'm sorry...but you...you left me no...choice, Malcolm..."

Malcolm groaned as he slowly rolled over, looking up at Oliver, who suddenly noticed Diggle collapsed in the doorway leading to the stairs, his friend watching with wide eyed shock. Oliver struggled to maintain his footing even as Felicity spoke through their comms, telling him Lance had managed to deactivate the device. Looking down at Malcolm he found his Alpha didn't look angry that he'd stabbed him, a wound that was likely fatal, instead Malcolm looked almost proud.

"It's over," Oliver said, telling his mate once and for all that the Undertaking was finished, that he was finished.

Malcolm gave a faint, gurgling chuckle.

"If I've learned anything as a successful businessman," Malcolm coughed faintly and Oliver could almost see the light fading from his eyes. "It's...redundancy."

Oliver felt his heart leap into his throat as he realized what Malcolm's words truly meant. As his mate collapsed fully to the rooftop Oliver quickly tapped his comms. "Felicity," he felt fear crawl through him. "There's another device. There's two of them."

The words were barely out of his mouth when, even from the rooftop of _Merlyn Global_ he felt the shaking. Moving quickly he got Diggle to his feet, the Alpha's arm slung over his shoulders, hobbling together to the edge of the roof to overlook the Glades in the distance even as the building shook, nearly knocking them both off their feet. They watched, horrified, as buildings in the Glades collapsed, one by one, fires breaking out and clouds of dust and smoke rising into the air.

 

**_oOoOoOo_ **

 

In the foundry Felicity let out a sharp cry of fear as everything shock, light fixtures breaking and falling, sparks flying, and immediately she reached for Robbie who had run for her the moment the quake had begun. Scooping Oliver's little girl into her arms she cradled Robbie close even as the girl clung to her, sobbing in fear, crying that she wanted her father and all Felicity could do was hug her tighter, closer.

"It's okay," Felicity whimpered, just as terrified as Robbie was. "It's going to be okay."

She let out a startled shriek as another light fixture slammed into the floor.

Dust and broken bits of stone were falling as she pressed the comms, saying Oliver's name, knowing she must have sounded terrified. Oliver's reply was swift and immediate.

"Felicity, are you both okay?"

"We're...We're okay," she reassured him, getting Robbie to say she was there just to help convince Oliver. Drawing a stuttering breath she told him what he needed to know concerning the quake. "The damage seems to be contained on the east side."

She knew Oliver would think of the same thing she was thinking. CNRI and Laurel.

"Oliver," she said softly, arms tightening around Robbie. "Oliver...be careful. Please."

"Take care of Robbie," was his reply before the comms went silent again.

Felicity drew a deep breath, trying to calm herself, pressing a quick kiss to Robbie hair even as the girl hid her face in her shoulder. "It's going to be okay," she whispered, not sure if she was trying to convince Robbie or herself. "It's...It's okay to be okay, Robbie. We're going to be okay."

She silently prayed that she was right.


	26. Chapter 26

Oliver sat on the stairs leading down to the foundry, shoulder still burning from the arrow he'd used to kill his mate, mind on fire from so many different emotions that it was impossible to tell what was what. It was also difficult to tell if he was clearly feeling the broken Bond. All the other times he had been focused on his mate, on what was happening in that single moment. He'd never been in any sort of pain, physical or emotional, prior to their deaths.

Now he was in both.

His mind kept playing what had happened in CNRI over and over again like a terrible movie.

Tommy, a piece of metal rebar through his chest, a fatal wound. His friend begging to know if Laurel was safe, that he tried to get her out, and then asking if Oliver had killed his father.

Oliver hadn't been able to tell his friend the truth.

Not in those final moments.

He'd lied. Saying no. Letting Tommy believe Malcolm was alive somewhere. It was better than the alternative. Better than Tommy thinking he was still nothing but a killer. To make up for the lie he told Tommy the truth about Robbie. His friend's eyes had lit up a bit. Tommy had whispered that he wished he'd had more time to know her, to watch her grow up, to teach her things. His words had brought more tears to Oliver's eyes even as Tommy whispered a final _Thank you_ before his eyes slipped shut.

Everything had come crashing down on Oliver as he watched his best friend die.

He'd cried and raged.

He had only left Tommy when he heard Laurel coming back into the building, screaming Tommy's name, searching for the man who had saved her.

Returning to the foundry he'd been relieved to find Robbie and Felicity both unharmed but his body and mind burned and he hadn't made it passed the stairs once he'd gotten out of his gear and into his regular clothes. He'd promised Felicity, who'd taken Diggle to the hospital, that he'd get himself to one as soon as he made certain that Robbie was safely back at the Queen Estate.

But he hadn't moved since he'd sat, or rather collapsed, upon the stairs after his friends' had left.

Hanging his head he let out a ragged sound and buried his face in his hands.

His shoulders shook, fresh pain burning through his injury, his heart felt like it was shattering in his chest, that the shards were burrowing deeper and deeper until they finally turned to dust. His soul felt like it had been shredded and left to twist up inside of him. The back of his neck burned and, needing to see if even a piece of what he was feeling was related to the Bond and Malcolm's death, he slowly stretched his mind, pushing through the barrier he'd thrown up over the Bond and felt nothing.

The warmth of Malcolm was gone.

Leaving nothing but a void.

Empty and hollow like Oliver now felt.

"Daddy?"

Oliver drew a sharp inhale of breath as Robbie's voice broke through his thoughts. Lifting his head he looked up to find his daughter standing a few steps down from where he sat, putting her almost at eye level with him. He tried to smile, tried to be reassuring, but he knew he didn't pull it off at all when his little girl reached up and cupped his cheeks in her hands while giving him the sort of soft, compassionate look only a child was truly capable of.

"I know you're sad," Robbie said softly, her eyes shining even in the dim light. "Because of Tommy and...and Mr Merlyn." Her little thumbs swept over his cheeks and for a moment he was amazed at how perceptive she was. But he also remembered that, little or not, she paid close attention to the world around her and often picked up on things that most adults would have missed. "And...it's okay to be sad, Daddy." She gave a tiny smile and he saw the tears welling up in her eyes. "It's okay to cry."

Oliver let out a weak sound as he quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tight, hugging her close even as the tears spilled down his face. His world was crumbling around him and here was his daughter, his five-year-old daughter, trying to comfort him. How had his life come to that? How had he fallen so far?

But more importantly, how was he supposed to carry on now?

He knew he had to, for Robbie's sake if nothing else, but he just didn't know how he was supposed to do it.


End file.
